Odd Man Out
by Timeless A-Peel
Summary: AU. Purdey already has two men in her life. Is there room for a third? Complete.
1. First Meeting

Odd Man Out

by J. Ferguson a.k.a. Timeless A-Peel

Disclaimer: I don't own _The New Avengers,_ nor the characters of Mike Gambit, Purdey, and John Steed. Sadly. They're the property of The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Tony Ashcroft is mine, but I'm not guarding him terribly jealously.

Timeline: AU. Anytime post-_Dead Men Are Dangerous._ Could be during season 2 or post-series. There isn't much of a need to be more specific. It's AU, and thus doesn't fit into the arc, so I'm not too hung up about it.

Author's Note: The first fresh story of 2010! Strictly speaking, I've been working on this one, along with a few others, for awhile, but I decided to sit down and focus on this one after the holidays. One of those ideas that wouldn't leave me alone, it began, like all AU's, out of a desire to look at the characters a little differently. In this case, from an outsider's viewpoint. I won't say much more than that for the moment, but I'll be interested to see how it goes down.

Now, read on...

* * *

The first time Tony Ashcroft saw Purdey was at a party. It was an all right party, not the best he'd been to, but strictly speaking it was a party for his best friend's wife, Caroline, and Tony had only gotten an invitation so his friend would have someone to talk to while Caroline mingled with her own friends. In the end Tony's friend hadn't had much time to talk, forever being swept off by his wife to socialise with people he didn't know, leaving Tony at sea with only his champagne to cling to. That was until he spotted _her_, the tall slim blonde with the short hair, bright blue eyes, and mile-wide grin. Tony was instantly captivated by her, by her line, the graceful, effortless way she moved, by the animation with which she spoke. After watching her for an hour, he finally worked up the nerve to approach her when she went to the buffet to refill her glass. Even then, all he could do was watch as she helped herself to some smoked salmon before she turned and flashed him that brilliant smile.

"Hello." Her voice was like cut glass, sharp and clear in all the right places, with an underlying pluminess that made Tony's heart beat a little faster.

"Hello," Tony managed. He thought madly about something else he could say, gestured vaguely at the crowd of people behind him. "Nice party."

She nodded in agreement, smile widening. "Yes, I haven't seen Caroline in ages. We went to school together, and we fell out of touch this past year." She paused and sipped her champagne. "She's expanded her circle since then. I'm afraid I don't know many of these people."

Tony felt a burst of relief. Someone to commiserate with! "Nor I. I'm a friend of Freddie's. I came for moral support more than anything."

She laughed, a delightful, warm sound. "Ah, so that's why you've been eyeing me up all evening. Looking for someone else a bit at sea."

Tony flushed. "I haven't been watching you…" he began.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way," Purdey cut in sweetly. "I'll have you know I've been watching you, too."

"Really?" He felt his flush deepen. "Well, any port in a storm, eh?"

"Oh, I'd say it was a very nice port," Purdey quipped, eyes flashing coyly. Tony's heart skipped a beat. She was interested! What luck! He couldn't let this pass without making a move. He stuck out his hand.

"Ashcroft," he introduced. "Tony Ashcroft."

Her hand was soft and smooth in his own, but the shake itself was firm. "Purdey."

He felt vaguely unsure of which name she had offered, decided to make a guess. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Purdey."

She laughed again as she released his hand. "No Miss. Just Purdey. Enigmatic, I know, but I have my reasons."

"I love a good enigma," Tony said with a wink. "So, tell me, 'just Purdey,' what do you do?"

Her eyes flickered for the briefest moment at the question, so briefly Tony wondered if he'd imagined it. But then she was smiling again. "I'm in the civil service," she told him.

Tony couldn't disguise his surprise. "Civil service? A lovely lady like yourself?"

"It takes all types," Purdey replied with a grin. "What do you do?"

"I'm in real estate," Tony told her, with a hint of dread. She'd probably think him terribly dull and brush him off. But to his surprise, her smiled reappeared.

"Really? What sort? Do you like it?"

"Oh, yes, yes I do, as a matter of fact," Tony said in surprise. "Older homes, mainly. Often I have to see to it that the owner's able to sell and that the buyer is aware of any responsibilities that may come with a heritage house…"

She listened to him all evening, and never once did Tony feel as though she were humouring him.

Not even when she agreed to go to dinner with him…

***

The first time Purdey received a phone call during one of their dates, they were horizontal. Purdey struggled out from underneath and grabbed the phone beside her couch despite his protestations. He didn't hear the person on the other line, but he saw Purdey's face go grim. "Right," she said with determination. "I'll be there soon."

"What is it?" Tony murmured as Purdey hung up the phone and dragged herself up off the couch.

"Work," Purdey told him, already disappearing into the bedroom. "I'm so sorry, Tony. I need to go in."

"At this hour?" Tony squinted at his watch. "Doesn't the civil service close by this time?"

"This is an emergency," Purdey replied, shrugging on a long jacket and trading her heels for a pair of knee high boots before pushing the beaded curtains aside. "I wish I could say no, but they really do need me." Her face revealed her regret. "I promise I'll make it up to you."

Tony picked himself up off the couch and went to her, kissed her gently. "I'll hold you to that," he told her with a grin.

Purdey grinned back, put a finger to his lips. "I'm very good at keeping my promises," she told him, before darting out into the night.

***

"Nice of you to join us," Gambit commented when Purdey trooped into Steed's living room. He looked up from loading his Smith and Wesson and regarded her with mild annoyance. "We've been trying to reach you every half hour."

"I was busy," Purdey snapped back, looking to Steed. "What's it all about?"

"A little late-night reconnaissance," Steed explained. "You're familiar with the file on Withers?"

"We've been chasing that one for weeks," Purdey exclaimed, looking from one to the other. "What's so urgent that it couldn't wait until morning?"

"We found his bolt hole," Gambit said flatly, returning his gun to its holster and standing up from Steed's couch. "And we've managed to arrange for him to leave it for an hour or so."

"I want us in and out with as much intel as we can gather," Steed informed. "We're going in now while we have the chance."

Gambit picked a miniature camera up off the coffee table and tossed it to her. Purdey caught it automatically and turned it over in her hands. "I thought Gambit was the resident photographer?" she quipped.

"We're going for quantity, not quality," Gambit pointed out, pocketing his own device. "Besides, you don't take bad pictures yourself. Especially when you're the subject."

Purdey smirked. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

"Don't I know it," Gambit said ruefully, crossing the room to meet her. "Are you kitted up for climbing in windows?" He glanced down at the hem of her skirt sticking out from underneath her long coat, then travelled up her figure to meet her eyes again. His eyes flashed knowingly. "Well, you're kitted out for something, anyway."

"I don't know what you mean," Purdey snapped defensively. Steed looked up from where he was equipping his umbrella with some new gadget and frowned.

"Gambit…"

Mike didn't elaborate, just flipped up the hem of Purdey's coat to reveal the frothy creation she was wearing underneath. "You're dressed up for a night on the town, and it wasn't with one of us," he deduced, eyebrows rising with interest. He let the hem drop. "Who's the competition? Anyone I know?"

Purdey scowled at him. "It's none of your business," she snapped.

"Ah, so there _is_ someone?"

"I'm allowed a social life," Purdey countered. "Outside the pair of you. I know you don't exactly spend Saturday nights alone with the crossword."

Steed grinned in spite of himself. "No, the crossword has always been a group effort for me. Mike?"

"Never have much time for reading," Gambit quipped back, eyebrows waggling madly. "You've been holding out on us, Purdey-girl. Did you need someone else to keep you fed?"

"What part of 'none of your business' don't you understand?" Purdey almost roared, and Gambit stepped back, chastened.

"Easy, Purdey. I don't mean anything by it." He waited until she seemed to calm down before continuing. "Is he in the business?"

Purdey swallowed her rage, feeling silly for the outburst. "No," she told him. "He isn't. He's a civilian, and that's why I like him. I never have to worry about him coming home with more apertures than he left with. And we were having a very nice evening until you stuck your oars in." She shot meaningful looks at both of them, then turned on her heel and flounced out. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Gambit looked to Steed, who widened his eyes and whistled softly. "Wide berth," he advised.

Gambit nodded in agreement. "Definitely," he agreed.

***

Tony hadn't thought much of it at the time. Everyone got called away to work once in awhile, and, after all, Purdey was probably engaged on important government business, and sometimes things had to be hammered out in a hurry. But the longer he knew her, the more time he spent with her, Tony found himself starting to get suspicious. Purdey seemed to have days off at the strangest times. Mornings with no need to go in until noon, weekends that were off-limits, but weekdays free and clear. She never elaborated on her work, and always carefully steered the conversation away from her occupation whenever Tony brought it up. Once he'd seen some files on her kitchen table, and she'd hidden them away as soon as she realised he was looking at them. "For my eyes only," she'd joked, but Tony could see seriousness behind her smile.

Finally, one day, when Purdey had been called away from a lunch date on a Saturday, Tony could suppress his curiosity no longer. Despite feeling like a cad, he waited until Purdey climbed into her TR7 and sped away. Only then did he hurry out of the restaurant and get into his own car to follow her, trying to keep a discrete distance between her car and his. She led him to a large, imposing concrete government building in London. Her car disappeared into an underground car park for which she had to show some sort of ID. Tony parked across the street and watched the entrance. The building was unremarkable, and Tony may have thought nothing more of it if it hadn't occurred to him that there was no sign proclaiming just what department it was meant to house. No indication at all. Tony was still puzzling at this and why it bothered him so much when he saw Purdey walking along the sidewalk in front of the building, clearly heading for the entrance. There were two men conferring in front of the door, and Tony watched with interest as they turned to acknowledge the approaching Purdey. She joined them and they exchanged words. At one point they all laughed. Tony frowned, felt a twinge of jealousy. He was too far away to see the men very well, but they were both tall and dark-haired. One wore a bowler and carried an umbrella. The other eschewed accessories, but cut a tall, slim figure in his suit. Purdey spoke to them both as though she knew them well. Eventually the trio turned and entered the building. As the door swung closed, obscuring them from view, Tony bit his lip. Clearly they were coworkers of Purdey's, although neither man had looked anymore like a paper-pushing civil servant than she. Still, what did he know about these government departments? Who knew what the government was up to half the time? He looked up at the rows of soulless office windows and chastised himself. What was he doing here, spying on his girlfriend?

Feeling extraordinarily silly, he drove off.


	2. Chance Encounters

Odd Man Out

by J. Ferguson a.k.a. Timeless A-Peel

Disclaimer: I don't own _The New Avengers,_ nor the characters of Mike Gambit, Purdey, and John Steed. Sadly. They're the property of The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Tony Ashcroft is mine, but I'm not guarding him terribly jealously.

Timeline: AU. Anytime post-_Dead Men Are Dangerous._ Could be during season 2 or post-series. There isn't much of a need to be more specific. It's AU, and thus doesn't fit into the arc, so I'm not too hung up about it.

Author's Note: New chapter! I realise this one's a bit of an odd bird, but I'm glad there are people out there enjoying it. Clearly poor Tony has no idea what he's let himself in for, among other things a rather important couple of guys. Read on...

* * *

One thing Purdey told Tony about her career history was her stint as a ballerina. Stating that she was fired for being too tall, Purdey had made it clear that her love of dance had persisted. Tony had always been the not-so-proud owner of two left feet, but Purdey persuaded him to take her out dancing one evening. She favoured one particular discotheque, and told Tony to take her there. Tony felt like he was entering a hot, dark cave when he stepped inside, nearly blinded by the bright lights pulsing down onto the dance floor. He found the whole place terribly unpleasant, but Purdey's eyes were bright with excitement, so he tried not to show it. She liked these sorts of places, so he would have to learn to like them, too. She held his hand tightly as they wove their way through the crowd, and that more than made up for the setting. At least, it did until her grip broke as she ploughed straight into a man coming the other way.

"Oh!" Purdey exclaimed.

"Sorry!" came the reply. Tony got his bearings just in time to see Purdey's eyes widen at the sight of the other half of her head-on collision.

"Gambit!" she gasped, jaw dropping open.

"Purdey!" the man said simultaneously. Tony's head whipped round to examine the stranger who clearly knew his would-be dance partner, and he was surprised to find it was one of the men from Purdey's workplace, the slim one in the suit who had spoken to her outside the building. Now that Tony got a better look at him, and he didn't like what he saw one bit. He was tall, an inch or two taller than Tony, slim, and well-built. He sported a head of luxuriously dark curly hair, and his ever-vigilant eyes were some sort of strange amalgamation between blue and green. The chin was cleft, and the mouth, top lip bowed, was imposing. The eyes flicked quickly and efficiently over to Tony, then back to Purdey, who was still staring at him with a mixture of shock and, seemingly, mild frustration. "Purdey," he repeated. "What are you doing here?"

"Dancing. What else would one do in a disco?" Purdey said sharply, crossing her arms. "I imagine you're here to do the same?" Her eyes went beyond him, and Tony saw there was a girl by his side, red-haired and green-eyed, with a slim, slight frame and almost elfin features. The man looked to her and smiled apologetically.

"Yes," he confirmed, eyes returning to Purdey. "But we're being rude. Introduce me to your friend, Purdey-girl."

Tony started slightly, whether at the way the man said 'friend' or the nickname, he didn't know, but he suspected it was both. Purdey shot her colleague a look but tried to compose herself as she turned to Tony. "Certainly," she said brittlely. "This is Tony Ashcroft. Tony, this is Mike Gambit. Gambit works with me at the _civil service_." Her eyes bore into Gambit's as she said the words, communicating some message unknown to Tony, but apparently perfectly obvious to Gambit, because Tony saw the reception in the man's eyes. He turned those same eyes on Tony, smiled.

"Hello, Tony," he greeted, holding out his hand. Tony shook it. It wasn't a terribly friendly handshake, stiff and formal, but civil enough. Gambit released his hand and turned to the woman at his side. "Sorry, love. This is Penny Redfern."

"Hello," said Penny, smiling warmly at Purdey and Tony, but she was glancing at Gambit out of the corner of her eye. "Purdey, it's so nice to finally meet you. Mike's always talking about you."

Purdey arched an interested eyebrow. "Is he?"

"That's funny. Purdey's never mentioned you, Mr. Gambit." Tony almost surprised himself with the barb. So far as he knew, Gambit was only a colleague of Purdey's. He was here with another woman. There was no reason to be jealous of him. But Tony wasn't blind. He could see the glances passing between the pair, could feel a strange sort of intimacy floating around them.

"Hasn't she?" Gambit replied, but he was saying it to Purdey, not Tony. "I'm sure it just slipped her mind."

"Nothing slips my mind," Purdey retorted. "It's not a sieve."

"No," Gambit agreed with a grin. "Some of the wiring's a bit unusual, though."

Purdey was ready to reply, but it was at that moment that the music changed, and both Purdey and Gambit looked heavenward at the speakers. Gambit smirked.

"They're playing our song, Purdey-girl," he quipped.

"We don't have a song."

"Well, if we did, I think this would be it," Gambit's gaze was locked with hers. "Don't you think?"

Purdey's eyes softened, just for an instant, before she turned to Tony. "Would you mind if Gambit took this one?" she asked him sincerely. "Sorry, but there are one or two things that need clearing up. About work."

Tony wasn't fooled, but he smiled anyway. "If it's all right with Miss Redfern."

Penny smiled, too. "Go on," she told Gambit. "Mr. Ashcroft will keep me company."

"Thanks," Gambit told her, kissing her on the cheek. "Sorry about this. We won't be long." He nodded to Purdey, who squeezed Tony's hand before following him out onto the dance floor.

They weren't two steps into the rhythm before Purdey started in herself. "Don't you dare foul this up for me!" she almost growled.

Gambit feigned confusion. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Don't play games, Mike. It doesn't suit you," Purdey said acerbically. "I like Tony a lot, and I refuse to let you put your oar in."

"You were the one who asked me to dance," Gambit pointed out mildly.

"Only after you set it up in the most unsubtle way possible. How else was I supposed to talk to you and warn you off?"

"Don't worry. I took the hint. Those looks you were giving me weren't very subtle, either, you know."

"Then why—?" Purdey was fuming.

Gambit shrugged. "Because if there's a chance to dance with you, I'd be mad not to take it, wouldn't I?" He smiled, but this time there was something vulnerable about it. "You have to admit, we move pretty well together."

Purdey glanced down at her feet, wasn't surprised to see them moving in tandem with Gambit's. It was amazing how naturally she slipped into their old rhythms, like a pair of comfortable shoes. She knew just how to move and how to coordinate herself with Gambit, no matter how long their little disco nights were apart. She had to admit to herself that it felt nice to fall into the routine, to be able to trust her partner to take care of his half of the bargain. She'd been anticipating dancing with Tony this evening, and she was sorry to say that the prospect had been a little harrowing. After all, she'd be teaching him half the night, and not only was that not relaxing, it was exhausting. But her body was on autopilot now. Purdey skimmed her hands underneath Gambit's jacket as she touched his waist. "You're not armed," she observed, brushing the area under his arm.

"I'm living dangerously," Gambit quipped with a wink.

"I won't argue with you there," Purdey replied, nodding at where Penny was conferring with Tony. "I don't imagine she'll be happy after watching you dance with me."

Gambit shook his head. "Penny's all right. She knows where she stands and so do I." He looked at her pointedly. "Does Tony?"

Purdey frowned. "I don't know what you mean."

"You know exactly what I mean," Gambit murmured, serious now. "Look. I understand. I know it's none of my business to ask questions, and I know you won't tell me, anyway. So I'll only ask this. How does he treat you?"

Purdey froze, then looked up into his eyes. He was dead serious now, eyes boring into her soul. She put a hand on his chest. "Very well," she assured him. "Almost as well as you. And Steed."

Gambit arched an eyebrow. "Almost?"

She blushed. "He has a hard act to follow."

"He's not the only one," Gambit murmured.

Meanwhile, Tony and Penny regarded their dates, Penny with a knowing smirk, Tony with a little less grace. He looked to the redhead. "Doesn't that bother you?" he queried.

Penny sighed and shrugged. "Mike and I are having fun. Neither of us are under any illusions about what's going on. Besides, I know he's close to Purdey. They have to be, in their line of work."

Tony frowned. "I didn't know the civil service was so close-knit."

Penny frowned. "Civil service?"

"That's where Purdey told me she works," Tony informed, feeling a strange sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach, though he couldn't say why. "Why? _Aren't_ she and Gambit civil service?"

Penny suddenly seemed a little ill-at-ease. "Oh…" she began, searching for the right words. "Well, yes, yes, they are. They…work hard. A lot of high-pressure work. You know how it is, working under pressure."

Tony looked back at the dancing pair. They weren't talking any longer, but their bodies and eyes seemed to be doing the communicating for them. "I can imagine…" he said vaguely.

"Excuse me," Penny murmured, clearly keen to extricate herself from the situation. "I'm just going to go get a drink. Do you want something?"

"Yes," Tony confirmed. "But it isn't a drink. Thank you." He turned his attention back to Purdey and Gambit.

When he asked Purdey about Gambit later, she shrugged and told him that her dance partner was a friend and colleague, and carried on dancing. Tony wanted to believe her, but a little part of him wouldn't let him. By that time, Gambit and Penny had gone off on their own, and he was alone with Purdey. He was content for the moment.

***

The first time Tony saw a bruise on Purdey was the first night they made love. It was on her leg, and Tony had brushed it off as a household mishap. Everyone ran into something once in awhile, even graceful gazelles like Purdey.

The one on her cheek was harder to miss. The day she'd answered the door and he'd seen the bright mix of purple and yellow and green on her right cheek he'd nearly dropped the flowers he was holding.

"It's nothing," Purdey assured, taking the flowers and inhaling their scent appreciatively. "Roses, lovely."

"Purdey," Tony said with concern, reaching out to caress the damage. "What happened? Who hit you?"

Purdey recoiled as though he had been the one to slap her. "What on earth makes you think someone hit me?"

"Purdey, I'm not stupid. I can see—"

"You can see that I hurt myself," Purdey cut in hurriedly. "It was an accident."

"Accident? How the hell do you accidentally hit yourself in the face?" Tony countered. "Purdey, if someone's been hurting you, I want to know. I want to help."

"I know," Purdey replied, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Really, I do. And if something like that happens, I'll be certain to tell you. As it is, I really did have a mishap. Now, if you want to postpone today until I've healed..."

"No, no, it's not that," Tony said quickly. "I only want to make sure you're all right."

Purdey smiled kindly. "I know you do. But I'm fine. Really. Come inside and have some tea. I need to put these in water."

***

The first time Tony saw Purdey and Gambit 'in context,' as it were, was two weeks later. He was passing by her flat when he decided to surprise her by dropping by, with the possibility of perhaps taking her out for a walk in the nearby park. A quiet moment for two lovers. But when he knocked, he heard distant laughter, and when Purdey answered she was still giggling.

"Oh!" she exclaimed when she saw who it was. "Tony, I wasn't expecting you." She tried unsuccessfully to swallow a laugh, and put a hand over her mouth to stifle it. Tony gaped at her in bemusement, noticed that she wasn't wearing any shoes, and that her clothing was slightly creased, as though she'd been sitting in it for a long period of time. "I'm sorry," she said after a moment, when she had managed to calm herself. "Tony, is there something wrong? Why are you here?"

Before he could reply, another voice said, "Who is it, Purdey-girl?" Tony froze as a second figure appeared in the doorway. This one he recognised. It was Mike Gambit. He was holding a cup and saucer in one hand, and his shirt was creased and untucked. "Oh," he murmured, with much less enthusiasm than Purdey had a moment earlier. "It's you. Tony, isn't it?"

"That's right," Tony replied through gritted teeth. "I didn't expect to see _you_ here, Mr. Gambit."

"No? Well, I'm around a fair bit, so it's probably best if you get used to it." He smiled in a way Tony didn't particularly like. "But don't worry. We're working. And we're chaperoned."

Tony took a step back at Gambit's forthrightness. "I wasn't implying…"

"Of course you weren't," Gambit said blithely, turning and retreating back into the flat. Purdey, now sufficiently recovered, glared at his back.

"Mike…" she warned.

"Aren't you going to invite him in?" Gambit's voice asked. "Isn't it about time he met Steed?"

Tony's gaze shot to Purdey. "Steed?" he repeated, and Purdey sighed, opened the door a little wider.

"You should come in," she said tiredly. "You were bound to meet him sooner or later."

Tony frowned, but did as he was bid. He didn't quite know what was going on, but he didn't like it. Still, he trusted Purdey, so he stepped inside, and was greeted by the sight of Purdey's coffee table blanketed in papers which flowed onto the living room carpet like some sort of strange waterfall. There was also a collection of dirty dishes scattered amongst the files and papers. Purdey's shoes lay a little to the left of an empty space on the floor, clearly where Purdey herself had been sitting. An armchair was also empty, but had Gambit's leather bomber jacket draped across the back. And ensconced on the couch, Tony could see the back of a man's head and a pair of broad shoulders. As he watched, the man turned around to look at him. He beamed at Tony, rose, and went to meet him.

"Mr. Ashcroft," he greeted, taking the surprised man's hand and shaking it warmly. "So nice to finally make your acquaintance. I'm John Steed. Purdey's told me all about you."

"Has she?" Tony managed faintly. "Well, then you have me at a disadvantage." The man was tall and husky, with black wavy hair, grey eyes, and a broad, warm smile. He was older than Gambit, probably mid-fifties, and his clothes were impeccably tailored to his sizeable frame. Purdey stepped between them and smiled nervously.

"Steed's my…boss," she explained, blue eyes willing him not to ask questions.

"Really?" Tony said with interest, ignoring the look. "So you're the one I have to thank for all those evenings Purdey has to pick up and leave?"

Gambit, who had been in the kitchen rinsing off his cup, tsked quietly to himself, wandered into the living area drying his hands on the tea towel. "Steed, I think you're being accused of mucking about with Purdey's love life."

Purdey shot another look at her erstwhile colleague, and Steed's eyes widened in horror. "It certainly hasn't been my intention," he said seriously. "But Purdey's a very valuable asset to our work, and there are times she and Gambit are the only people I trust to do the job."

"_And_ Gambit?" Tony repeated with interest. "What are the three of you, some sort of little administrative unit?"

"In a sense," Steed agreed, eyes flickering to Purdey to ensure she hadn't told Tony any more than she should. "As you can see, we work quite closely. It makes the hours fly by if you enjoy the company of your colleagues."

"We can enjoy ourselves a bit too much, sometimes," Gambit quipped, waggling his eyebrows at Purdey, and she burst out laughing again in spite of herself.

"Sorry," she said to Tony's questioning look. "It's a long story. Something Mike said." She gestured at the mess of paper. "We've had a very long day."

"So I see," Tony said stiffly. "Well, I certainly don't want to keep you from your work. I'll see myself out."

"Tony," Purdey protested, hurrying after him and reaching him just as he got to the door. "Don't leave like that. It was lovely of you to drop by. We're just very busy at the moment. We do this all the time. It doesn't mean anything."

"If you say so," Tony said crisply. "I'll ring you later." He left despite Purdey's protestations. He wanted out of that flat.


	3. Two Cups of Coffee

Odd Man Out

by J. Ferguson a.k.a. Timeless A-Peel

Disclaimer: I don't own _The New Avengers,_ nor the characters of Mike Gambit, Purdey, and John Steed. Sadly. They're the property of The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Tony Ashcroft is mine, but I'm not guarding him terribly jealously.

Timeline: AU. Anytime post-_Dead Men Are Dangerous._ Could be during season 2 or post-series. There isn't much of a need to be more specific. It's AU, and thus doesn't fit into the arc, so I'm not too hung up about it.

Author's Note: Chapter three already! Editing this I realised there were multiple cups of coffee consumed in this chapter, which was purely unintentional, but makes for handy chapter titles. Considered making this one longer, but the way the scenes were constructed it just didn't work. The next chapter will be more action-oriented. In the meantime, there's the coffee...

* * *

"Took your time," Gambit commented as Purdey climbed back into the XJS and handed over a styrofoam cup containing something that was almost, but not entirely, unlike coffee. Gambit sipped it and pulled a face at the less-than-appetising flavour, but it was hot and seemed to have the correct dose of caffeine, so he sipped it again. It burnt his tongue, but that actually worked to his advantage--it made him less likely to taste it again. He glanced momentarily at the house they were meant to be watching, but there was still no sign of Withers or the enemy agent he was meant to be contacting.

"There was a line-up," Purdey said by way of an answer to his comment, which he'd almost forgotten about in the midst of his analysis of the coffee.

Gambit smirked. "Why, were all the other people on stake-outs ordering at the same time?"

Purdey smirked back. "That and the insomniacs. I said 'hello' for you."

"I sleep just fine," Gambit countered, waggling his eyebrows at her. "Unless I have company, of course."

"Who do you think I said hello to?" Purdey mentally gave herself a point in their verbal rally.

Gambit gave her look, but didn't bother to defend himself. "While we're on the topic, how are things between you and the bloke you brought to the disco?"

"You mean Tony?" Purdey replied, in mild annoyance. She suspected Gambit remembered his name, but that he was trying to get under her skin about it.

"You don't have anyone else on the line?" Gambit queried, smile meant to be infuriating, but looking mildly uncomfortable with the idea.

"No," she said frostily. "And things are fine."

Gambit arched an eyebrow. He knew that tone. "But?"

"What makes you think there's a 'but'?"

Gambit snorted. "I know we've been here six hours, but my mind hasn't gone completely. Come on. I need something to keep me awake."

"It's nothing, really," Purdey countered. "It's just—he asked me about you and Steed."

This really _was_ interesting. "What about us?"

Purdey sighed and let her head fall back against the head rest. "He wanted to know what the nature of our relationship was."

"Ah," Gambit said knowingly. "He asked if you'd ever slept with either of us. What did you tell him?"

"Nothing," Purdey murmured, suddenly too tired to argue anymore. "Because he wouldn't believe the truth either way. If I said we had, he'd be upset. If I said we hadn't, he wouldn't believe me."

"I know it's none of my business, but are you sure that was the right thing to do? I mean, I know the truth about you and me. But you and Steed—sometimes even I wonder."

Purdey actually laughed in spite of herself. "Do you?"

Gambit shrugged. "You never know."

Purdey shook her head. "No, I suppose you don't. But a lady never tells."

"Neither does a gentleman," Gambit murmured, "and I'll lump myself into that category this time around."

"You _are_ a gentleman," Purdey said quietly, reaching across and resting a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever it is you think. You and Steed both." She sighed. "If only I could make Tony understand that that's what matters, not what might or might not have happened."

Gambit shook his head. "The past is important. You're the sort of girl a man wants all to himself. There'd be something wrong with him if he wasn't jealous."

Purdey grinned. "Do you count yourself in _that_ category as well?"

Gambit eyed her fondly. "You don't need me to answer that, do you?"

Purdey smiled back, eyes reflecting his own. "No, I don't suppose I do," she said quietly, then turned to look back at the house. "There's Withers. Stop looking at me like that and get a move on."

"Yes, ma'am," Gambit obeyed, dropping the now-empty coffee cup to the floor and turning the key. Purdey looked at her own cup. Her coffee-substitute had gone cold. She hoped other things wouldn't follow.

***

Purdey sighed and hung up the phone. "I've a meeting at 12:30," she told Tony. "But that still leaves us half an hour."

"Why don't we go down early?" Tony queried, sensing an opportunity. "We could have a drink before you started."

Purdey frowned. "You want to go…to where I work?" she said carefully.

Tony nodded. "Of course I do. After all, I took you down to my office. We're dating. I want to know more about you."

Purdey got up from the sofa rather quickly. "Well, there's not much to know," she said, slightly nervously. "I mean, it's just a government building. Very sterile, bland walls, worn carpet, lots of filing cabinets. Bordering on the criminally dull, really. Nothing to see."

"It can't be that bad," Tony replied, standing up and putting his arms around her. "After all, it has you in it every day. Must do something to brighten up the place." Purdey flashed a smile at the compliment, and Tony pressed home his advantage. "Come on, Purdey. There must be some place we can have a cup of coffee in the vicinity. And then I could walk you to the door."

Purdey sighed, then nodded. "All right, but there's no need to walk. We have a canteen on the main floor. It's not exactly the Ritz, but they do have coffee."

Tony's eyes brightened enthusiastically. "Really? I can go inside?"

Purdey chuckled, and gave him a quick kiss. "I'll get you a visitor's pass. But we'll have to hurry."

"I'll be speed itself," Tony assured her, already grabbing his coat and shrugging it on. "Shall we?"

***

She hadn't been lying, Tony realised, when they stepped inside the same building he had followed her to before. The place of Purdey's work was very nondescript, clean, well-kept, but fairly soulless. The secretary manning the front desk in the main lobby was pretty, though, but Tony tried not to let Purdey notice that _he _noticed. The secretary cast a few suspicious glances his way when Purdey asked for a visitor's pass, but handed one over reluctantly when Purdey explained that he wouldn't be travelling any further than down the hall. Tony wondered idly what was so important that they would be suspicious of an employee's paramour dropping by, but then you never knew with government types. Officious to a fault.

Pass pinned to his lapel, Purdey led him down the hall to a small cafeteria-like room, and exchanged pleasantries with the woman behind the counter as though she knew her well. They ordered coffee and took a seat in a cozy booth at the back of the room. Tony admired his pass before looking to Purdey. He waggled it at her. "Don't you need one of these?" he pointed out.

Purdey smiled thinly. "It's in my bag," she replied. "I'll put it on when I go upstairs."

Tony chuckled. "Don't want me to see you in 'work mode,' eh?"

Purdey laughed, too, uneasily. "Something like that," she admitted. She kept glancing over his shoulder toward the cafeteria's entrance. Tony turned and followed her gaze, looked back to her.

"Embarrassed to be seen with me?" he queried, feeling mildly upset by the idea. Maybe he had done the wrong thing, asking to be brought along. He hadn't wanted to make her uncomfortable.

"Of course not!" Purdey exclaimed, looking offended, then calmed down when she saw Tony's eyes widen in surprise. "Look, I like to keep my private life private, and here I'm on display. If any of my colleagues catch you, I won't hear the end of it."

"Oh," Tony said quietly, looking into his coffee. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt so strongly about it."

Purdey sighed and reached out to cover his hand with hers. "It's all right," she said quietly. "I'm being ridiculous. You're more than worth a little ribbing in the file room."

Tony smirked. "If they give you any trouble, just let me know. I'll sort them out."

To his surprise, Purdey laughed. Hard. Tears of mirth formed at the corners of her eyes, and she had to blot them away. Tony watched her in bemusement as she put her napkin to work before it could damage her mascara. "What's so funny?" he wanted to know.

"Oh, nothing. Just the idea of you facing off against any of my work colleagues. The mental imagery…oh, dear. Never mind. It's nothing. Just my imagination getting away with me." She finished dabbing, and then stopped laughing abruptly when she looked up. Tony saw her stricken expression, and wheeled around to see Steed and Gambit sidle into the cafeteria. They spotted Purdey immediately and made a beeline for their table.

"Purdey," Steed greeted. "So glad you could come at such short notice." He noticed Tony, and his broad smile wavered a little. "And Mr. Ashcroft. What an unexpected surprise."

"Tony offered to buy me a drink before I went to work today," Purdey explained, looking from Steed to Gambit with what Tony could only label an imploring expression, though he couldn't fathom what she had to feel guilty about.

"Not bad coffee you lads have here," he tried, taking a sip of the hot, dark liquid. Gambit watched with interest, and perhaps a touch of amusement, as he almost gagged on the substance.

"You stop tasting it after about six months," Mike informed the sputtering Tony as he attempted to blot his tongue with his napkin. He turned to Purdey. "Ready for our meet, Purdey-girl?"

"I will be," Purdey said firmly, "as soon as I've said good-bye to Tony."

"That would be our cue to leave," Steed murmured, hooking Gambit's arm with his umbrella and dragging him off to a safe distance. Purdey turned her bright blue eyes on Tony and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry about that, but I did warn you…"

"No, nothing to be sorry about. I'm glad we did this. Really. It means so much to me for you to let me in like this."

Purdey's smile was a little sad, but she nodded all the same. "Me, too." She leaned in and kissed him, in full view of Steed and Gambit. "Thank you for the coffee," she whispered when they parted, then stood. "Can you find your own way out?"

"I think my boy scout training will extend that far, yes," Tony quipped, still slightly dazed by the kiss. Purdey laughed.

"Wonderful. I'll see you later?"

"Definitely," Tony proclaimed, turning to wave good-bye to Gambit and Steed, who nodded back and waited for Purdey to join them before all three disappeared through the cafeteria door. Tony turned back to the table with a huge grin splitting his face. In his euphoria, he even took another sip of his coffee. He then apologised to the lady behind the counter and started to clean up the spray.

***

Tony was walking back to his car when he glimpsed a white Range Rover leaving the building's car park before setting off down the road. As it passed, Tony caught a glimpse of the driver, and realised it looked very like Mike Gambit. He frowned at this. He was meant to be in a meeting, surely? He'd said as much. But then maybe he'd misheard. Tony was prepared to forget about it, but as the car retreated into the distance, he saw the outline of a familiar bobbed head through the rear window. He stopped and gaped. Purdey. It was Purdey. He was certain of it. But she was most definitely supposed to be at a meeting. That's what she'd said. But here she was, driving off with Gambit. Tony froze and pondered what to do. Relationships were built on trust, and he was already painfully aware he'd violated that rule once when he'd followed her to the Ministry, an act he still regretted. But on the other hand, Purdey had clearly lied to him. He didn't want to betray her, but all the same, it was hard to watch her drive off to some destination unknown, with another man to boot, when she'd told him she was going to do something different entirely. He made a quick decision and decided to follow them, just for a bit. If it turned out they were commuting to a meeting elsewhere, he would stop and leave them be. He hurried to his car.


	4. The Secret's Out

Odd Man Out

by J. Ferguson a.k.a. Timeless A-Peel

Disclaimer: I don't own _The New Avengers,_ nor the characters of Mike Gambit, Purdey, and John Steed. Sadly. They're the property of The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Tony Ashcroft is mine, but I'm not guarding him terribly jealously.

Timeline: AU. Anytime post-_Dead Men Are Dangerous._ Could be during season 2 or post-series. There isn't much of a need to be more specific. It's AU, and thus doesn't fit into the arc, so I'm not too hung up about it.

Author's Note: Following Purdey proves a little more...interesting this time around. You just knew it wasn't going to end well, didn't you?

I've been getting a lot of hits on this story, so thank you for reading! I hope you're enjoying it thus far. In the meantime, I'm hard at work on another part of the arc. Stay tuned...

* * *

Tony followed the Range Rover at a safe distance to a deserted warehouse district. He didn't know what sort of business Purdey and Gambit could have there, but he was feeling more apprehensive about the situation all the time. The Rover drove with purpose—clearly Gambit knew where they were going. Eventually, the Rover pulled over, and Tony parked his car around the corner and climbed out to continue on foot. He was not surprised to see not only Purdey and Gambit alight from the vehicle, but Steed as well. They set off together for one of the many abandoned buildings, and disappeared inside. Tony waited a beat before following them.

Once inside, however, he found that they had disappeared, probably among the crates that turned the warehouse into a makeshift maze. Tony looked around, totally at a loss as to where they had gone and how to locate them again. He was just about to give up and return to his car when he heard footsteps echo in the cavernous space. Tony cocked his head and tried to determine their location, got a fix, and started to wend his way toward the sound.

The footsteps, however, led him not to Steed, Gambit, and Purdey, but to another man Tony didn't recognise. He ducked behind some of the crates before the man could see him, then peeked around the corner to see what happened. The man was soon joined by a second. Tony noticed both men were carrying plain brown envelopes. Wordlessly, they exchanged them, then each checked the contents of said envelopes before shaking hands and turning to go their separate ways once more. They didn't get more than a few steps, though, before a voice echoed around them.

"Tell me, Marshall, do you always conduct Ministry business so far from your office?"

Both men spun around, and Tony craned his neck to see what they were looking at. John Steed stepped out from the shadows of the crates, umbrella in hand, fixing one of the men with a penetrating stare. "I'm disappointed, Marshall," Steed continued. "Not only because you chose to do business with _their_ paymaster, but because of your choice of venue. An abandoned warehouse of all things. You used to have more flair than that."

The man Tony assumed was Marshall glowered at Steed. "You can't ever leave it alone, can you Steed? You know what I went through. You know my reasons better than anyone. So why can't you just bloody well leave me be?"

"Because those secrets you're selling will only lead to more pain, more death." Steed shook his head with genuine regret. "I'm sorry, Marshall. I didn't want it to end this way."

"Neither do I." Marshall's hand darted into his coat and produced a revolver. Tony fought to suppress a gasp of surprise. He didn't fully understand what was going on, but a gun was never a good sign. He wondered if he should get away and call someone. But before he could decide on the best course of action, Steed sighed.

"You don't think I came alone, do you?" he asked tiredly, and Tony watched in surprise as both Gambit and Purdey emerged from the shadows. They were both armed, and they trained their weapons on Marshall and the unfortunate paymaster. Tony gaped at Purdey, his Purdey, the beautiful, warm, compassionate woman he knew, standing there in the same light blue dress she'd had coffee with him in not half an hour earlier, holding a gun with the confidence of a professional. Her gaze was fixed on the man known as Marshall, her finger easing the safety catch off the gun. "Come quietly, Marshall," Steed was saying. "You know even if you escape someone will find you eventually. This doesn't have to end in bloodshed."

"Doesn't it?" Marshall's eyes were wild. He swung the gun back and forth between Purdey and Gambit. "Doesn't it?!" he repeated. "I'll show you what it's like to lose someone, Steed. I'll show you!" He levelled the gun at Purdey. Tony felt his heart stop, felt his body spring into action before he could even think about what he was doing. He broke his cover, dashed out into the open, waving his arms.

"Stop!" he screamed. "Don't shoot!"

Purdey's eyes widened as her head swung round to look at him. "Tony?" she exclaimed in disbelief. The commotion drew Gambit and Steed's attention away from Marshall long enough for the man to make good his escape. Gambit regained his focus first, loosing off two shots in the fleeing men's direction, but he was too late to make a hit. He swore under his breath and took off after them. Purdey was still gaping at Tony, unable to reconcile her personal and professional lives colliding at such short notice. Steed prodded her in the arm with his brolly urgently. She jerked with surprise, staring at Steed with uncomprehending eyes.

"After them," he ordered, in a voice that brokered no further argument. She nodded dazedly, took off out the door in Gambit's wake. Tony moved to follow her, but Steed hooked his arm with the umbrella.

"Easy," he soothed.

"Easy?!" Tony repeated, aghast. Everyone seemed to have suddenly gone mad. "That man had a gun! You're sending Purdey off after a man with a gun!"

"That was the general idea," Steed said mildly. "But it's not her first gunman, so I've a feeling she'll fare better than you may think."

Tony was frowning in incomprehension, still wanting to go after Purdey, but stayed by confusion. "What? What do you mean, not her first?"

Steed sucked his teeth. "There's nothing in the rulebook about this," he said cryptically, "but I think we're well past subterfuge. I think you had better see Purdey in action for yourself."

Tony gaped at him, but Steed simply smiled kindly and swept an arm toward the back door of the warehouse. "Shall we?"

***

The instant they stepped outside, they nearly tripped over the unconscious form of the paymaster. Steed bent to check on the man, then extracted a pair of handcuffs from his inside breast pocket and set about restraining the man's hands. "This appears to be Gambit's handiwork," Steed commented casually to Tony. "I'm sure he'll allow Purdey the opportunity to even the score." He straightened up and pointed at the figures in the distance, racing away toward the docks backing the warehouse. One was in the lead, obviously Marshall, and two more were following close behind. Tony recognised Purdey's shapely figure, looked to Steed.

"He's still armed! Why don't they just shoot him?"

Steed frowned and tsked. "We couldn't do that. We want him alive. Marshall was a good man in his day. He deserves to be taken in in one piece. They'll only shoot if it's absolutely necessary."

"And when will that be? After he's gunned Purdey down?"

Steed's eyes gleamed. "Purdey may surprise you. Watch."

Tony glanced worriedly back at the retreating figures, just in time to see Marshall swing round and fire at Gambit. He dodged and rolled nimbly to one side, but the pause that Marshall had had to make to fire gave Purdey the window she needed. She put on an extra burst of speed and threw herself forward, long legs eating up the ground. Tony watched in horror as she took to the air, sailing through the space between her and her quarry, striking him bodily in the chest, and going down with him. Tony stepped forward to assist, but Steed held him back with a firm hand to his shoulder. As he watched, Purdey rolled off the man, and moved to regain her footing. Marshall sliced her legs from beneath her, and she went down in a heap, but not before driving her knee upwards into his stomach. He doubled over, coughing and wheezing, as Purdey recovered. They both got to their feet and circled one another. Purdey kicked the fallen gun off to the side as Marshall made a grab for it, then executed another, higher kick that caught him just under the chin. He staggered back into Gambit's waiting arms, the younger man having caught them up. He restrained Marshall as Purdey pulled back and unleashed a powerful right hook. The man's head slumped to one side, and Gambit and Purdey looked at each other and congratulated themselves on a job well-done before setting about with the pair of handcuffs Gambit was carrying. They half-carried, half-dragged the unconscious man back along the docks to where Steed and Tony were waiting and deposited him beside the now-groaning paymaster. Tony couldn't help but notice how radiant Purdey looked after the exertion, the healthy pink of her cheeks, the broad grin beneath the tousled hair. She was clearly exhilarated by the experience, and it was only when she looked at him that the smile faded. Tony was gaping at her, open-mouthed, eyes goggling. She exchanged uncomfortable glances with Steed and Gambit before she approached him.

"Tony…" she began, voice soft and hesitant. Tony shook his head in disbelief.

"What _are_ you?" he wanted to know, and Purdey bit her lip and sighed.

"It's a long story," she said wearily. "And I'll tell it in just a moment, as soon as everything's in hand."

Steed nodded in agreement. "Gambit," he said to Mike, who was hanging back from the rest of the group, unsure of what to do. "Get back to the Range Rover and radio a clean-up crew. Also get a direct line to McKay. You'll have to tell him about our…complication."

Gambit nodded once, curtly. "Right," he said briskly, and set off back the way they had come. Purdey and Steed turned their attention to their newfound prisoners. Tony stood by and wondered when life had gotten so damned complicated.

***

"I'm an agent," Purdey said to Tony. They were each perched on a crate, facing one another. Beside her, Mike Gambit stood, trying to look unobtrusive. The Ministry's regulations dictated that confiding any of its secrets by an agent to a civilian required the supervision of another agent. Steed had insisted he was needed for another type of supervision entirely, that of the clean-up crew now milling around the docks, erasing any trace of the skirmish. Both Purdey and Gambit had protested his choice, but Steed had been unwavering. Now Tony found himself watching Gambit as much as Purdey, this man who knew his girlfriend so much better than Tony himself ever would. Gambit felt his eyes on him, turned slightly in his direction, and moved his head to indicate he should listen to Purdey. Tony turned back her way reluctantly, not entirely certain he wanted to hear what she had to say. Gambit had been the one who had walked him through the Official Secrets Act, made him understand the consequences of signing it. Tony hadn't liked the document, but Gambit had made it very clear, in the quietest way possible, that he didn't have much choice in the matter, not after what he'd seen. He'd pointed out the document would have the side-effect of letting Purdey explain exactly who she was, but Tony already had a pretty damn good idea. Nothing would ever be the same after she told him, of that he was certain.

"We work for a government department called the Ministry," Purdey went on. "We…look into things that need looking into. For the sake of national and international security."

Tony felt his mouth twist angrily. "Spies," he translated, wishing she would quit trying to finesse it. "You're spies."

"Agents," Purdey repeated firmly. "We're agents. There's a difference. Don't ask what it is, but I promise you the distinction is there."

Tony nodded at Gambit. "By 'we,' I take it you mean him? And Steed?"

Purdey glanced up at Gambit, sighed, then looked back at Tony. "Yes. Steed and Gambit are my colleagues. Partners. Although, strictly speaking, Steed is our boss. Usually people in our line have only one partner, but we've broken with tradition, so we're a three-person unit. We find we work better that way."

"So you get two? Lucky you." Tony was looking at Gambit again, and the other man sighed and took his hands out of his pockets. Purdey opened her mouth to protest, but Gambit silenced her with a look before returning his attention to Tony. The eyes shifted from blue to green in the light as he did so.

"Look, Ashcroft," he began, voice low and serious but not entirely without goodwill. "None of this is Purdey's fault. She's not allowed to disclose what goes on at the Ministry, not without clearance, anymore than she can tell you or anyone else who Steed and I are. I know you're probably wondering if you can trust anything she says since she's already lied to you so many times—" He broke off, because Purdey was really looking at him now, with something like astonishment in her eyes. He caught the expression in her eyes, and worked his jaw slightly. "It's not my first time," he said by way of explanation, and looked back at Tony. "I don't know what she said, but I swear to you that Purdey would never lie about the important things. She can be annoyingly circumspect at times," he added, with a fond smile her way, and Purdey chuckled in spite of herself, "but that's nothing to do with the job. Her professional life is classified, but everything in her personal life has been real. Anything you've shared…" Gambit shrugged. "Whatever you, or she, felt is genuine."

Purdey's eyes were shining now, and Tony could tell that the look in them was meant for Gambit alone. "Why? Why do you do it?" he croaked, and Purdey tore her eyes from Gambit to reply.

"As I said, it's a long story. I started out in the Royal Ballet, just as I told you, and when that didn't work out, I found myself here. My father was an agent, too. He was killed in action well over a decade ago." She looked downwards at that, took a moment to compose herself before continuing. "People often ask how I can do this job knowing so well what the consequences are, but there are so many wonderful, brilliant things about it. The excitement, the puzzles, the people." She glanced Gambit's way again, and the side of his mouth quirked up in response. "But also because I feel closest to my father when I'm out in the field. I understand why he did what I did. I feel his blood pounding through my veins. It's difficult to explain, but I promise you I enjoy it."

"But it's so dangerous," Tony pointed out, concern overriding his jealousy at the way she kept looking at Gambit. "You could have been killed today."

"That's why it's so desperately important to have partners you can rely on," Purdey emphasised, trying to make him understand. "If I'm ever in a tight spot, I know Steed and Gambit will be there to get me out again, just as I am if they ever need me."

"It's a good job there are two of us," Gambit chipped in. "Purdey has a terrible habit of wandering off on her own and getting into all sorts of trouble."

Purdey whirled around indignantly. "I do not!"

"You do," Gambit contradicted, wagging a knowing finger at her. "We ought to fit you with some sort of bell."

"Mike Gambit!" Purdey was trying to sound outraged, but she cracked up nonetheless. "Look, Tony, don't listen to him. Or Steed, for that matter. If there's anything you want to know, ask me."

Tony nodded quietly. "I'll remember that," he murmured, massaging his temples gently. "But I think I've heard enough for one day."

***

"A weekend in the country," Steed announced over reports. "After the month we've had, that's exactly what we all need. Why don't you two join me at the stud farm for a few days?"

Gambit stretched wearily, easing out the knot that had formed between his shoulders after too many hours bent over pen and paper. "Could do with some country air," he said around half a yawn. "I've been a bit claustrophobic lately."

"After spending a week in a car parked outside _their_ embassy, I'm not surprised," Steed said mildly. "You can help me exercise the horses. You could both use a good trot around the grounds." He turned his attention to Purdey. "Purdey, can we count on your company?"

Gambit smirked. "Say yes, Purdey. You know nothing good'll happen if you leave us unsupervised."

"Don't I just," Purdey said knowingly, "but Steed, would it be all right if I invited Tony along? He's having a little trouble adjusting after what he saw on the Marshall assignment, and we could use the opportunity to get away from it all. Together."

Steed shook his head. "It's not a problem at all. If Gambit doesn't mind…" Two pairs of eyes swivelled to focus on the younger man. Gambit scowled.

"Don't look at me. It's Steed's house. Why do you need my permission?"

"Because it's me," Purdey said simply, leaning forward to meet his eyes. "Mike, you're not going to…resent Tony being around, are you?"

Gambit snorted. "What, do you think I'm going to push him into the duck pond when you're not looking? I told you I wasn't going to interfere, Purdey-girl. I promised. You know what that means." The blue-green eyes were mildly indignant, and Purdey felt guilty for doubting him. Steed, however, looked sceptical, but went on regardless.

"Well, then, if that's settled, let's complete this report…"


	5. Country Life

Odd Man Out

by J. Ferguson a.k.a. Timeless A-Peel

Disclaimer: I don't own _The New Avengers,_ nor the characters of Mike Gambit, Purdey, and John Steed. Sadly. They're the property of The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Tony Ashcroft is mine, but I'm not guarding him terribly jealously.

Timeline: AU. Anytime post-_Dead Men Are Dangerous._ Could be during season 2 or post-series. There isn't much of a need to be more specific. It's AU, and thus doesn't fit into the arc, so I'm not too hung up about it.

Author's Note: The weekend in the country begins. Mostly set-up--things get a little more...eventful next chapter.

Should this chapter not satisfy your TNA fic fix, "100 Words For TNA" has been update with a new drabble for the first time in ages. Have a look at that if you're interested.

* * *

"Don't look so nervous," Purdey scolded Tony as they roared up the drive to Steed's in the TR7. "You'd think you were spending the weekend with the Spanish Inquisition."

"Near enough. Don't your friends interrogate people for a living?" Tony bit a lip and looked out the window at the large, stately country home.

"We _do_ have other duties," Purdey protested in mild annoyance. "_All_ of us."

Tony looked her way, smiled weakly, and reached out to rest a hand on top of hers where it gripped the steering wheel. "You're right. I'm sorry," he apologised. "It's worthy work. I know that. Someone has to keep Queen and Country safe for the rest of us." He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm proud of you."

Purdey flushed happily. "Well, it's always nice to be appreciated," she murmured.

"I'll appreciate you more this weekend," Tony said in her ear. "It'll be brilliant out here. No one for miles. Just you and me and—"

"Gambit," Purdey broke in, and Tony froze, pulled away slightly. Purdey noticed his expression and pointed through the windscreen. "Gambit's here."

Tony looked up and saw Mike Gambit had arrived just before them, and was currently unloading cases from the XJS. He looked up as they pulled in, and set down the case he was holding to come over. Purdey rolled down the window. "Perfect timing," she commented, and Gambit bent down so he could lean in the window.

"You don't know the half of it. Steed's got the horses out. He's challenged us to a race before we even unpack."

"A race?" Purdey looked enthusiastic about the possibility. "Now?"

"Soon as we can change into riding gear. You brought your boots, didn't you?"

Purdey reached back to pat the suitcase tucked behind her seat. "Why wouldn't I?"

Gambit grinned. "Good. I'd hate to miss the chance to trounce you."

Purdey scrunched her face up at him. "You've gotten awfully confident. Unless you're planning on getting me drunk beforehand, you haven't a chance."

"I've been practicing," Gambit said simply, craning his neck to look over Purdey at Tony. "Do you ride, Ashcroft?"

"Yes," Tony replied, almost defensively. "Have done since I was young."

"Good," Gambit said with a smile. "Just as well. We can get a bit, uh, 'competitive.' We wouldn't want you to get caught in the middle if you didn't know what you were doing."

"I think I can handle myself," Tony said sharply. He didn't like Gambit's grin at all. He looked to Purdey. "Well, let's not keep Mr. Steed waiting. Shall we?"

***

It became very clear very quickly that John Steed was an 'amateur' horseman in only the most technical sense of the term. The stables betrayed his passion for the animals, and Steed himself was clearly never more in his element than when he was among his four-legged friends. Even Tony knew he was outmatched. His mood was slightly lifted by the sight of Purdey in riding gear, looking very fetching in the calf-high boots. Unfortunately, she was soon followed by Gambit, who also filled out the gear in such a way that Tony knew it would be impossible for Purdey not to notice. The only question was whether she was immune to the figure the lean, lithe man cut.

"Well, I don't think I'll need a crop," Purdey mused, glancing at the wall of Steed's stable, covered with all manner of equipment.

"For us or the horses?" Gambit inquired, and Purdey's mouth tugged upwards at the sides.

"Both, I hope," she replied, turning around, hands on hips. "So who am I going to share my victory with this time?"

"At the risk of sounding overconfident, you'll be _riding_ Dancer," Steed told her, walking over to stroke the side of a chestnut mare. "You're familiar with one another, aren't you?"

"Of course we are," Purdey agreed, joining him beside the horse and giving the animal an affectionate pat. "Come on, Dancer. Let's show them how it's done."

"Don't give him false hope," Gambit advised. "I'm planning on giving you a run for your money."

"Oh, are we placing bets?" Purdey inquired, looking brightly from one of her partners to the other. "Has Gambit's last paycheque come in?"

"I think he'll be safe as long as he doesn't follow any hot tips," Steed said sombrely, but soon broke down into laughter with Purdey while Gambit stood by looking miffed. Tony watched the scene in bemusement.

"Oh, Tony," Purdey chuckled, realising he didn't get the joke. "I'm sorry. Gambit has bad luck with the horses."

"Only because she gives me the tips," Gambit cut in. "Take my advice—never take her along to the races. Your bankbook will thank you for it."

Purdey snorted. "Mike Gambit, you're perfectly capable of losing money all on your own."

"Maybe so. But I'd like the chance to find out one of these days. Besides, it's not just me--you did Murray in just last week."

"That was the football pools!" Purdey protested.

"Exactly. And_ I_ won."

Purdey was silently fuming, but Steed put a friendly arm over her shoulder. "We only thought it was fair to warn Mr. Ashcroft. Presumably he wants some financial security in his later years." He looked to Tony. "Friendly advice."

"I'll bear that in mind," Tony replied, trying to laugh along with the other two men, but feeling oddly out of his depth. "So, this race…"

***

"Didn't I tell you?" Purdey said triumphantly, counting up a handful of bills with relish as she walked through Steed's patio doors. Gambit trudged in behind her, looking both annoyed and embarrassed. She glanced up and caught sight of his expression. "I did tell you I'd win."

"First time you're right and I bet against you," Gambit muttered. "I can't believe it…"

"You should know by now that Purdey's full of surprises," Steed pointed out from behind them, leaving Tony to bring up the rear.

Gambit sighed. "Yes, but why do so many of them seem to cost me money?"

Tony actually smirked, genuinely, for the first time since he'd met the agent. "Purdey's expensive. And worth every pound." Purdey flashed him an appreciative smile, and went past Gambit to give him a quick kiss.

"Tony understands," she said brightly, looking meaningfully at Gambit.

"I think Purdey's victory calls for some champagne," Steed chipped in, heading for the kitchen.

"Lovely," Purdey called after him, walking along with Tony behind the fuming Gambit. "You were quite good out there," she told him as they stopped just outside the swinging kitchen door. Tony smiled at the compliment.

"Well, I have had some experience. Although I'm not as aggressive as your colleagues. I was waiting for one of them to go over a horse headfirst."

Purdey laughed at that. "I did warn you. But it's harmless, really. I think they were showing off more than anything. Gambit's not very experienced with horses, but he's learned a lot in a very short period of time, and he likes to make sure we know it." She shook her head good-humouredly. "They're quite the pair, but things are never dull when they're around."

"I can imagine."

It was at that point that Gambit poked his head out the door. "Come on, Purdey-girl, or we're going to have to drink all of this ourselves."

Purdey's eyes widened comically. "We can't have that!" she declared, hurrying forward to join them. Tony hung back, and she frowned at him. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just going to pop upstairs for a shower if you don't mind. Wash some of the dust off."

"Well, hurry. If you don't there might not be anything left."

"I'll bear that in mind," Tony said with a smile. "Go."

Purdey blew him a kiss and went inside. Tony turned to leave, but he stopped when he heard voices from within the kitchen.

"What are we having?" Purdey's voice.

"Oh, I've a few ideas. Fetch the tomatoes, would you?" Steed.

"You're out of those radioactive monstrosities, I hope. Those can't have been healthy." Gambit.

"Oh, don't complain. You didn't sprout an extra arm or anything, did you?"

"I don't know. I'm still waiting for it."

"I'm still waiting for those tomatoes. I can't complete the sauce without them."

"Sauce? A nice marinade? Why don't we add—"

"No gin."

"No bitters."

"But—"

"And no marshmallows."

"The trouble with you two is you have no sense of adventure."

"The last 'adventure' cleaned out my whole intestinal tract, thanks."

"I have things well in hand, Purdey. If you could confine yourself to the chopping…"

"Oh, all right."

There was a pause.

"What about—?"

"No vodka, either."

Tony shook his head at the interchange, knowing there was far more behind the comments than he could ever know. He turned and mounted the stairs.

***

By the time Tony was back downstairs, the kitchen was silent, but the patio doors were ajar. Tony went to investigate, poked his head outside. Steed, Purdey, and Gambit were seated on the patio, side by side, sipping champagne in companionable silence. Purdey sensed his presence and looked up, smiled one of her most radiant smiles.

"Tony!" she greeted, with real warmth. "You're just in time. Dinner's almost ready."

"Brilliant," Tony replied, glancing at Steed and Gambit. "Just popped out for a moment?"

"Oh, it was such a lovely evening, we thought we'd come out and enjoy it," Purdey explained, setting down her glass. "How was the shower?"

"Refreshing."

"Lovely. I think I'll follow your lead." She stood up and waved cheerily at Steed and Gambit before taking Tony's lead. "We'll be back in time for the first course."

"Fine," Steed said cheerfully, and watched them depart. His sunny demeanour changed as soon as they were safely out of earshot. He turned his attention to Gambit. "Well?"

Gambit looked up from watching the bubbles rise in his glass. "Well what?" he asked distractedly.

"Well, what do you think of Ashcroft?"

Gambit sipped his champagne before answering. "Seems nice enough. Makes Purdey happy, as near as I can tell."

"And you're all right with that?"

"Are you?"

"We're not talking about me."

"Then why are we talking about me?"

"Mike," Steed said firmly, in that voice that didn't allow for further beating about the bush. "If Purdey's relationship with Ashcroft is going to present a problem, I want to know now, before it interferes with the job and the Ministry gets heavy-handed. I need to know where you stand."

Gambit scowled back at his friend and mentor. "I'm fine. It's not as if she's planning on running off and marrying the bloke."

"And what if she does?"

Gambit didn't have a smart retort for that. He was silent for a moment, and for a few minutes there was nothing but the sound of distant crickets and the swirl of champagne in his glass to break the calm. Steed had almost forgotten he was waiting for an answer when Gambit finally gave him one.

"She made her choice," he said quietly. "And I respect that."

"And if she marries him…?"

Gambit sighed, looked up at the darkening sky. "If he makes her that happy, I'll dance at her wedding." He looked to Steed. "I'm not saying I won't have mixed feelings. I mean, it _is_ Purdey."

Steed nodded thoughtfully. "It is."

"Still," Gambit said robustly, "we're getting ahead of ourselves. But whatever happens…" He looked at his glass. "I'd like to propose a toast."

Steed held up his glass in preparation. Gambit thought for a moment, realised simple was better. "To Purdey."

"To Purdey."

***

After dinner, Purdey knocked on Gambit's open room door. He looked up from unpacking his shirts, grinned. "Purdey. Here to catch me unpacking my unmentionables?"

"That's more your line, isn't it?" Purdey quipped, wandering inside without waiting to be asked. She made herself comfortable on the edge of Gambit's bed and leaned back so her forearms supported her weight. "Did you notice Steed gave us rooms at opposite ends of the floor?"

Gambit smiled knowingly. "I think he's trying to protect my ego, just in case you and Tony get up to a few things and I can't bear to listen."

"And can't you?" Purdey queried, watching Gambit's reaction carefully. He paused, face impassive, but Purdey knew behind the carefully-shielded eyes there was something churning.

"Well, I do like my sleep," he said finally, winking at her in what was meant to be a devil-may-care manner, but he didn't fully succeed. He picked up his shirts and set about putting them in a dresser drawer. "Anyway, did you just drop by to brag about your love life, or was there something you wanted?"

Purdey snorted. "As though I'd get up to anything with you and Steed here. I have this lingering mental image of the pair of you outside the door with glasses pressed against your ear." Gambit waggled his eyebrows at her in a way that suggested he wouldn't rule that option out, and Purdey smirked before continuing. "But I did have a reason, as it happened. I know we're off-duty, and we're out here to relax, but I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to show me something."

Gambit raised an interested eyebrow. "Anything in particular, or do I have free reign?"

Purdey blushed in spite of herself. "Don't get your hopes up. I'm not asking you to be creative, just informative."

"Do I need to close the door?"

"I hope not," Purdey murmured, sitting upright. "Here's what I want to know…"


	6. Taking Damage

Odd Man Out

by J. Ferguson a.k.a. Timeless A-Peel

Disclaimer: I don't own _The New Avengers,_ nor the characters of Mike Gambit, Purdey, and John Steed. Sadly. They're the property of The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Tony Ashcroft is mine, but I'm not guarding him terribly jealously.

Timeline: AU. Anytime post-_Dead Men Are Dangerous._ Could be during season 2 or post-series. There isn't much of a need to be more specific. It's AU, and thus doesn't fit into the arc, so I'm not too hung up about it.

Author's Note: The action chapter! Quite a few things happen this time around. A little humour, a little drama. And we finally learn just what it is Purdey wants to ask Gambit. I know at least one reader's been wondering about it all week.

Because it's Valentine's Day, there are two other short fics also available for your perusal today. I would have posted them earlier, but the site was being difficult in the uploading department. Still, better late than never. Happy Valentine's Day, and may you eat lots of chocolate. :-)

* * *

A few minutes later, Tony Ashcroft strode down the upstairs corridor in search of Purdey. She'd wandered off after unpacking and he hadn't seen her since. He knew Gambit's room was at the other end of the floor, and decided to ask him if he knew where to find her. As he approached the room, however, he heard soft noises. The closer he got to Gambit's room, the louder they got. By the time he was almost at the door, which was standing ajar, he could most definitely pick them out as grunts, being emitted by two people: a man and a woman. When he actually peered around the door frame, his mouth dropped open.

Two people were lying on the floor, one pinning the other to the ground. The man on top was clearly Gambit, if the back of the dark curly head was anything to go by. Beneath him, being restrained, a pair of shapely, familiar legs were sticking out, flailing around as they sought a purchase. The grunts were definitely coming from the pair, the woman, Purdey, clearly trying to escape, while Gambit made noise in his efforts to restrain her. Tony stared at the scene before him, brain desperately trying to interpret it. Every way Tony interpreted it was anything but innocent, and Purdey's struggles made him nervous. Was Gambit forcing himself on her? He hadn't seemed like the type, but then Tony didn't know him very well. He decided he couldn't take the chance, cast around, and found that, like his own room, Gambit's was furnished with an umbrella stand, complete with umbrella. He slid it out of the container silently, hefted it by the tip, crept forward, and swung so that it struck Gambit across the back with all the force he could muster.

Gambit grunted in surprise and lost his balance, collapsing on top of Purdey in the process. She screeched in response, desperately trying to disentangle herself from her colleague. Gambit had fallen between her legs, and the pose was less-than-innocent. Purdey managed to look over Gambit's shoulder to see what happened, and was surprised when she saw Tony looming over them, umbrella readied for another swing.

"Tony!" she screamed, managing to free one hand and hold it up defensively. "Don't!"

Tony froze, unsure of what to do. Gambit rolled over, off Purdey, rubbing his back and groaning. Purdey got onto her hands and knees and leaned over him. "Mike," she asked in concern, "are you all right? Does everything move when you tell it to?"

"I think so," Gambit grunted, rolling onto his side so Purdey could feel for damage. "What the hell hit me?"

"I did," Tony declared, embarrassed but unwilling to let either of the other two know it. He lowered the umbrella and watched Purdey feel each of Gambit's vertebrae in turn, tending to her would-be assailant.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she accused, turning angry eyes up at Tony.

"He was attacking you!" Tony justified. "He had you on the floor, and you were trying to escape. What else would you have me do? Let him have his way with you?"

Purdey's jaw dropped. "Have his--? Are you mad? Gambit's better at keeping his hands to himself than any man in the Ministry. Until you give him permission, of course."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Gambit grunted, adding his hands to Purdey's efforts. "Am I going to walk again?"

"You'll live," Purdey diagnosed, climbing to her feet and helping Gambit do the same.

"Well, what _were_ you doing, then?" Tony wanted to know. "Because the pair of you didn't look terribly innocent down there."

Purdey pursed her lips as Gambit leaned on her and she helped him over to the bed. "Gambit," she explained, letting his weight off her shoulder as she set him down, "teaches me karate in our spare time. He's a black belt." Gambit flopped back onto the bed and moaned some more. Purdey regarded him with mild annoyance. "Although you wouldn't know it from the look of him." She turned to Tony and put her hands on her hips. "I asked him if he could show me a counter-move to a hold he taught me. He wanted to see if I could work it out on my own first, so he put me in it. We were just about to get to the instructive part when you clobbered the teacher."

"Oh," Tony said faintly, dropping the umbrella guiltily. "I see."

Purdey saw his shattered expression and sighed. "Oh, don't look like that. I know you meant well, but you have to understand I can take care of myself, and even if I needed protecting, Gambit's the last man you'd have to protect me from."

"Especially now," Gambit muttered from the bed. "That was my favourite spine, I'll have you know."

"Oh, you're fine," Purdey said impatiently.

"Come over here and say that," came the reply.

"I'm not kissing anything better," Purdey said tartly.

"And I'm not teaching you anything else without closing the door first," Gambit retorted, finally struggling upright into a sitting position. "I'm going to go and see if Steed has enough ice for my back _and_ a large whiskey." He stood, slightly bent, hand to back, and started to shuffle toward the door.

"I'm terribly sorry," Tony called after him. "Honest mistake."

Gambit waved him off with his free hand. "I should have heard you coming. But don't worry—I'll keep my ears open for you next time I get her on the mat." He winked at him and earned himself a reproving look from Purdey, who ushered him out into the hall. She turned back to look at Tony.

"Are you coming?"

"Uh, not just now," Tony replied, and Purdey shrugged and followed Gambit. He could hear them bickering all the way down the stairs. Tony closed his eyes and tried to rub away the impending headache.

***

The weekend unfolded much the way the first day had, minus any further injury to Gambit's back. When Tony and Purdey were alone, things were marvellous, but the instant Steed and Gambit joined the party, Tony had the definite sense that he was odd man out. There was too much history between the three of them, too many jokes that needed explaining, too many exchanged glances. Tony might have mentioned it the third evening he was there if something else hadn't gotten in the way first…

The pounding on the door was incessant. As one, Steed, Purdey, and Gambit froze, drinks halfway to lips. Tony glanced from one to the other uneasily, seeing the looks flick between them, the unspoken communication seemingly loud in the suddenly cavernous- feeling living room. As one they set down the glasses and dashed off down the hall. Tony waited a beat before following them. He was just in time to see Steed open the door, and the man burst through it to collapse on the hardwood.

"Murray!" Purdey cried in dismay, dropping to her knees beside him. Gambit crouched down and tried to roll the man over, was met with a thin squeal of pain. Gambit released him and pulled away a hand stained with red. He looked up and met Purdey's eyes, then glanced up at Steed. Purdey bit her lip, gently rolled Murray onto his back from her side, gasped at the huge crimson stain on his shirt. "Call an ambulance!" she ordered, and Gambit sprang upright to do just that, barrelling past Tony with hardly more than a passing glance.

"Stay back," he ordered sharply, and Tony found himself obeying. He hung back, watched as Purdey loosened the man's tie and removed it, then undid the buttons of his shirt to peer at the wound. Steed was on his knees too, now, bending over Murray's limp form, speaking quietly. Tony could hear the wounded man groan in response, but Steed's voice was insistent. Tony transferred his attention to Purdey. The girl was pressing a hand to the wound, which caused a brief burst of arterial spray, casting a long, thin line of red across the front of her dress to compliment the red hand stains that had already been put there when she had wiped her hands on the skirt.

Gambit blasted past again, this time bearing a tea towel and what looked like a first-aid kit. "The ambulance will be here in 15 minutes," he told his colleagues, dropping to his knees beside Purdey and examining the wound. "Bloody hell, Murray," he swore, pressing the cloth to his side. "What did they do to you?"

"You know," Murray wheezed, trying his best to smile through gritted teeth. "The usual.

'S not bad. You've had bigger holes in you than this one, Mike."

"Exactly. That's why you're going to be fine," Gambit said it with a smile, but the eyes were uncertain. He unrolled a length of bandage and tore it with his teeth. "Besides, Purdey loves a hero. Don't disappoint her, eh?"

Murray tried to laugh at that, but it set off a round of coughing instead. Tony watched in horror as the coughs produced blood, and a thin stream of crimson trickled out of the right corner of the man's mouth. Gambit's lips pressed into a thin line, but he set about binding the wound anyway. Purdey took to cradling the wounded agent's head in her lap.

"Were you followed?" Steed's voice was soft, but urgent, and Tony noticed that he had shut the front door and was crouched before the window to the side. He twitched the curtains and peered out into the blackness, then turned urgently back to the wounded man. "Murray, could they still be out there?"

Murray nodded gently from Purdey's lap, Gambit's hand and the tea towel pressed firmly against his side. "They were right behind me," he rasped. "Probably waiting…t'see…if I come out alive."

"Then there's a chance I can catch them in the act." Gambit took Purdey's hand and replaced his with hers, the other already reaching for the gun under his arm. "If they're out there, I swear I'll find them." The eyes were bright blue and intense, and his grim expression made Tony uneasy. This was Gambit in killing mode, he had no doubt about it. Purdey clearly didn't, either, because she reached out to touch Gambit's arm with her free hand.

"Mike, there's obviously more than one. And it's dark. They'll be watching…"

"I'll go out the back," Gambit said simply, spinning the chamber of his revolver and clicking it back into place with determination. "If there's a chance I can catch them, I will."

"I should go with you," Purdey protested. "You'll need back-up."

Gambit shook his head. "No, they might take a shot at the ambulance. You and Steed need to go with Murray, protect him."

"And me?"

The trio turned in unison at Tony's voice. Clearly they'd forgotten he was even there, lost in their own little world, a world in which Tony was very, very aware he did not belong. Purdey removed her hand from Gambit's arm instinctively, bit her lip, looked to Steed and Gambit for assistance, clearly lost.

"He can ride with me," Steed said simply. "Purdey, you'll go in the ambulance. I'll travel along behind." He fixed his penetrating gaze on Mike. "Gambit, you'll meet us at the hospital, if you can. I'm going to radio in for assistance as soon as we're on the road. Until they arrive, tread carefully."

Gambit nodded once, curtly, then rose and started off down the corridor.

"Be careful!" Purdey called after his retreating form, then felt herself blush when he turned back to look at her. "We don't have enough bandages for the both of you," she added.

"I'll do my best not to spring any leaks," Gambit replied cheekily, and winked at her, before opening the patio doors and disappearing into the night. Purdey returned her attention to Murray, Steed returning his to the view out the front door. "Tony, can you help me?" she requested, indicating the pressure point Gambit had been tending to. Tony heard the question as though through a daze.

"Right," he murmured, throat dry, and tottered over to assist her.

***

Tony Ashcroft traversed the long, sterile hospital corridors wearily, desperately trying not to spill the two styrofoam cups of tea onto his trembling hands. He had left Purdey and Steed waiting in front of the operating room with an offer to bring them refreshment. Purdey had accepted, although he had offered more out of a desire to make himself scarce than anything, and he had a feeling she knew that, too. The tension had been too much. The air between Purdey and Steed had been heavy with unspoken words, and he knew that more than anything they wanted a chance to talk openly. He decided to give it to them. It felt better to be moving. Sitting in Steed's car, waiting for a possible attack, had been the longest trip in his life. His nerves were well and truly shot.

He rounded the corner just in time to see a doctor speaking quietly to Purdey and Steed. From the expressions on all three faces, Tony deduced that the news wasn't good. Purdey's eyes were wide, and the lines around her pursed mouth bore traces of grief and fatigue. Steed's face as stony, almost like a statue. All the same, he shook the doctor's hand before the man departed. Purdey ducked her head and crossed her arms tightly, but her shoulders started shaking just the same. Steed snapped from his daze long enough to notice, and put an encouraging arm around her shoulders. Purdey clearly wasn't satisfied with that, though, because she uncrossed her arms and threw them around Steed's neck, hugging him tight. The senior agent reciprocated in kind, but Tony could see Purdey's face resting against his shoulder, could see the tears now streaking her cheeks and the way her mouth opened to gulp in air to feed the soft sobs drifting down the quiet corridor. Tony stood there, cups still in hand, cooling by the minute, wishing he was the one holding her, and, at the same time, knowing that Steed was the better man for the job. A hard lump of grief formed in his own stomach, and he was about to turn away and come back when they'd had a chance to compose themselves, when a third figure appeared at the opposite end of the corridor.

It took Tony a moment to recognise it, because its head was bowed, and it was limping, pressing one hand against the wall for support as it went. Then it looked up, and Tony recognised Mike Gambit's handsome features, looking a bit worse for wear. One eye was blackened, and the bottom lip was split. His suit had seen better days, and clearly his left ankle was hurting him, but he was bound and determined to reach Purdey and Steed. They broke their clinch as soon as they noticed him, immediately hurrying over to assist. Gambit tried to wave them off, gestured at the operating room and said something Tony couldn't make out. Purdey and Steed exchanged glances, and then Tony saw Purdey's mouth move, slowly, as though she were speaking quietly. Tony watched Gambit's eyes cloud just before he ducked his head, jaw working madly. Purdey put a consoling hand on his shoulder and squeezed, and Gambit looked up, clearly saw a similar emotion mirrored in her own eyes, and wrapped his arms around her, just as Steed had done. She hugged back, arms around his waist, while Gambit rubbed her back and made soothing noises. It was at that moment that Steed noticed Tony, and Ashcroft realised that he had just been found out. He swallowed hard, not wanting to join the grief-party, but knowing he had no real choice. He started toward them, feeling stupid for being there, stupid for being an extra burden when they had so clearly lost their colleague, stupid for bringing the tea. All the same, his steps took him toward the trio. Gambit noticed him over Purdey's shoulder and released her. Purdey turned, started, then smoothed her blood-stained dress self-consciously. They all watched him approach like the outsider he was. He cleared his suddenly dry throat, tried to think of something to say that wouldn't sound stupid or reveal that he had been watching for so long.

"I take it there's no good news?" he said quietly, stopping just short of Purdey. She shook her head slowly.

"Murray didn't make it," she said hoarsely.

Tony nodded in sympathy. "I'm so sorry," he said, and he meant it. He looked down at the now-cold cups of tea. "Don't suppose you want these now."

"I do," Gambit said flatly, and Tony offered him a cup. He downed it in one gulp, then repeated it with the other. Up close Tony could see that his knuckles were raw, bruised, and bleeding. Gambit finished the tea and followed his line of sight. "I found Murray's men," he said simply. "They didn't take too kindly to being found, but I didn't give them much say in the matter."

"You caught them, then?" Tony queried.

Gambit's eyes glinted dangerously. "Oh, I caught them all right," he almost-growled. "Like they've never been caught before." He threw the now-empty cups into a nearby dustbin violently, and Tony could almost feel the pent-up power and aggression radiate off him. "Murray'll get his due, I promise you that."

"They're in lock-up?" Steed wanted to know.

Gambit nodded. "That reminds me. McKay wants to talk to you. Wants to know what Murray told you."

Steed nodded curtly. "I'll see to it. You need to find someone to patch you up."

"I'm fine," Gambit tried to protest, but Steed shook his head.

"We're in a hospital, Gambit. No excuses this time. Purdey, would you see to it?"

Purdey nodded slightly, still in shock. She produced a handkerchief and reached up to dab Gambit's bloodied lip, but he quickly confiscated it for himself. She looked to Tony. "Do you mind?"

"No, of course not. I'll…I'll just be in reception."

Purdey nodded, and slung Gambit's left arm around her shoulders to help him walk. "Come on, Mike. Let's see if we can find you a pretty nurse to put you together again."

Gambit snorted around the handkerchief. "I'm not hopeful. Did you see the matron?"

Purdey chuckled in spite of herself. "She looked very…efficient," she commented.

"At what? Finishing me off?" Tony watched them limp down the corridor, bickering all the way, knowing that was their way of trying to cope with the situation. They were used to dealing with these sorts of things. They _had_ to find some way to deal with them. Tony realised he didn't want to deal with them at all.


	7. Friendly Advice

Odd Man Out

by J. Ferguson a.k.a. Timeless A-Peel

Disclaimer: I don't own _The New Avengers,_ nor the characters of Mike Gambit, Purdey, and John Steed. Sadly. They're the property of The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Tony Ashcroft is mine, but I'm not guarding him terribly jealously.

Timeline: AU. Anytime post-_Dead Men Are Dangerous._ Could be during season 2 or post-series. There isn't much of a need to be more specific. It's AU, and thus doesn't fit into the arc, so I'm not too hung up about it.

Author's Note: A whopper of a chapter this time around, mainly because there was one, long scene that just didn't deserve to be broken up. We're getting near the end here, but I like to think this is one of the best bits. Enjoy!

* * *

It was three in the morning by the time they returned to the stud farm. The drive was silent, Steed and Gambit in the front, Purdey and Tony in the back. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and Tony put an arm around her, but despite the contact, Tony felt as though she were miles away. When he looked in her eyes, he knew he was right.

The instant they were in the door, all three made a beeline for the living room, Gambit limping along unaided. Steed extracted a rather large bottle of Scotch whiskey from his liquor cabinet, along with three glasses. Three. Not four. This was going to be a private party. No outsiders allowed.

Purdey turned to look at Tony, while Steed and Gambit did their best to pretend they weren't paying attention, busied themselves with pouring the liquor. She smiled brittlely. "We toast a fellow agent when he dies," she explained, voice strained. "It's a sort of tradition. If you'd like to join us…"

Tony knew it was a token offering, that he was expected to turn it down, and he didn't have any intention of disappointing them. "No, thank you. Wouldn't be right. I didn't even know the man. No, I think I'll turn in."

Purdey nodded. "All right," she replied. "I'll…I'll be up in a moment."

Tony smiled. "Right," he said, even though he knew that neither of them believed it. With that, he turned and started to mount the stairs to the second floor.

***

Tony padded downstairs, trying to keep his footsteps soft so as to not disturb the quiet of the house. Just as he'd expected, Purdey hadn't come to bed the night before, and she didn't seem to be up and about this morning, either. Tony didn't know where she'd finally spent the night, but he did have one or two ideas, and none of them were very encouraging.

He found himself in the dining room, and looked on into the living room. He could just make out what appeared to be Gambit, head tipped back on to the back of the couch, legs stretched out, arm dangling listlessly over the side. As he approached, he saw that Steed was occupying the other end of the couch, his head tipped to one side, arms half-crossed. Well, they certainly hadn't gone to bed, either. He wondered if either of them knew when Purdey had.

It was only when he entered the living room that he saw her. She was tucked comfortably between her two colleagues, head resting on Gambit's shoulder as though it were the most natural thing in the world, her long legs draped over Steed's lap. One arm had come to rest, limply, on Mike's thigh, the other tucked across her mid-section. She had lost her shoes at some point, but her stockinged feet looked as though they were keeping warm nonetheless, courtesy of Steed. Gambit had lost his jacket, tie, and waistcoat, but otherwise they were dressed as Tony had left them, albeit much more rumpled. Tony didn't know if that made him feel better or not. Purdey had technically spent the night with someone else, but not in the way he would have imagined. Somehow that stung more.

He was prepared to tiptoe away and leave them to catch up on their shuteye, but it was at that moment that Purdey stirred and opened one bleary eye. She caught Tony's retreating form, and sat up with a start."

"Tony!" she exclaimed, and noticed her position between Gambit and Steed, did her best to disentangle herself. She elbowed Gambit violently in the side in the process, bringing the gently snoring man to the land of the conscious with a jolt and a wheeze.

"Purdey?" he gasped, doubling over with the pain and casting her a doleful glance. "That hurt. What the devil are you--?"

"I'm talking to Tony," Purdey cut in impatiently. "Don't look at me like that. You're perfectly all right."

"Right. Of course. Lots of people lead happy, healthy lives without their spleen," Gambit muttered, nursing his side. His body then remembered just how much alcohol he'd consumed the night before, and he put a hand to his head to keep it from splitting open. "Argh."

Steed had awoken by this point, turned to look at Gambit with bleary unconcern. "After last night," he half-slurred, "what you need is my patented National Anthem morning-after cure."

"I feel sick enough as it is," Gambit groaned, staggering upright, clutching one hand to his stomach, the other to his head. "I'll stick with coffee and a gallon of water." He trundled after Steed into the kitchen, leaving Purdey alone with Tony.

"Tony," she called after him, willing him to stop. "This wasn't what it looked like."

Tony stopped, turned to her. "No, it was," he said quietly, without malice. "It must be tough, losing a colleague like that. You needed someone to get you through it. I can understand that."

Purdey bit her lip. "You can?"

"Yes," Tony confirmed, putting his hands in his pockets with a sigh. "And I get the feeling that the three of you probably have a lot more to attend to before this whole mess is cleared up. So I'm going to go home early, if that's all right."

"Tony," Purdey said softly, going to him and touching his arm. "Don't leave angry."

"I'm not," Tony assured. "Not a bit. I promise. But I know where my place is, and it's not here. Not right now. I'm sure everything that happened last night was classified. It'd be better if I wasn't around for the rest of it."

Purdey didn't like to admit it, but he had a point. "You can take my car," she offered. "I can get Gambit or Steed to give me a lift back to town."

Tony nodded once. "Right," he murmured. "I'll just go upstairs and pack, then." He turned and started to mount the stairs. Purdey sighed, passed a hand over her brow anxiously, and bit her lip. Steed remerged from the kitchen, a cup of tea in hand, looking none the worse for wear for the previous night's ordeal.

"How's Tony?" he inquired.

"He's going home," Purdey said sadly.

"I see," Steed murmured, and, sensing a need, put an arm around her for the second time in 24 hours. "I'm sure he thought it was best."

"It was," Purdey said quietly, eyes on the staircase. "That's the worst part."

***

Mike Gambit's door opened and released a flurry of cooking odours.

"Purdey!" Gambit said in surprise. His sleeves were rolled up past the elbows, and the majority of his front was concealed by an apron. He passed a hand over his brow, which was damp with perspiration. "What are you doing here?"

Purdey ignored the comment and poked her head in the door. "Mike Gambit, are you _cooking_?"

"You don't need to sound so surprised about it," Gambit grumbled, hurrying back to the kitchen to stir something. "I _can_ cook, you know. I've just learned all the best ways to avoid it. And if there's someone willing to oblige." He glanced meaningfully at her, and Purdey rolled her eyes expansively.

"I'll bear that in mind next time you come scrounging for a sandwich," she said wryly. "Anyway, what's the occasion? Did the pub burn down? Did Tesco run out of cornflakes?"

Gambit made a face that communicated, quite clearly, that he did not find her in the least bit funny. "I'll have you know," he said with as much dignity as he could muster, "that I'm making this for a girl."

Purdey raise an eyebrow. "Just any girl, or did you have a specific one in mind?"

Gambit went back to stirring. "Remember Penny?"

"The redhead? Gambit, I'm surprised. Don't tell me you're actually getting serious about her?"

"Maybe," Gambit said coyly, tasting his concoction. Purdey regarded him with sceptically, and he sighed. "All right, we made a wager. She doesn't believe in my culinary skills."

"You mean she doesn't believe you have any to begin with," Purdey countered knowingly. "I'd call it off if I were you. The horses haven't been kind of late."

Gambit scowled at her. "You've never even tasted my cooking!"

"And I want to live to be forty, so it'll stay that way," Purdey replied, no longer in the mood for games. "Stop stirring for a moment. I need your advice."

Gambit obeyed, more out of surprise than anything. "You want my advice?" he repeated.

"Yes. Don't look like that. I ask you about things all the time."

"Not like this you don't," Gambit countered. "You see me at work everyday and you ask me then. But you came over special." He crossed his arms and leaned a hip against the counter. "What's going on, Purdey-girl?"

Purdey bit her lip and sighed. "It's about Tony," she told him.

"Ah," Gambit replied, averting his eyes slightly. "What about him?"

Purdey fiddled with a piece of hair. "We had a bit of a row today."

Gambit immediately shot to attention, eyes narrowing. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, of course not!" Purdey snapped back, shocked. "Tony would never…no more than you would. No, it was a war of words."

The tension left Gambit's shoulders, and he crossed his arms and let them rest on the countertop. "What about?"

"Oh, loads of things. The weekend. Seeing us on-duty. Me leaving all the time."

"So?"

"So he feels neglected. He feels as though I put the job ahead of him. And the people in the job, too."

Gambit sighed. "He's jealous of me and Steed."

"Jealous is a bit strong," Purdey said, defensively. "He just feels…left out. I told him he was being ridiculous. Lots of people have jobs that demand strange hours and a lot of time, and they make things work."

"But we're not most people, Purdey," Gambit said gently. "We're agents. When other people go home at the end of the day, they can tell their spouses and lovers and families all about what happened during the day, and complain about the boss. We can't do that. We signed the Official Secrets Act. Everything we do is classified. Even a tiny little insignificant detail can turn into a whole bloody ordeal if someone from the other side exploits it." He shook his head tiredly. "It doesn't work, Purdey. There's a reason almost everyone in our business is single and childless. How can you have a proper relationship with anyone when you have to keep half your life locked up all the time?"

Purdey bit her lip. "But you do it," she pointed out. "Penny, you met her while we were investigating Crayford. She must know what you do."

Gambit shrugged. "She knows I have some pretty important credentials that give me the authority to ask a lot of questions, and that I carry a gun and pick up more cuts and bruises than a professional cliff diver. She probably has her suspicions. But she's never come right out and said 'spy,' and I'm never going to, either. If she ever asks me about what I do, I make a joke and steer things back to something about mid-terms." He smiled, but it was sad. "One of these days the appeal of patching up even my athlete's body without being able to ask how I got the war wounds is going to wane. And she'll make some comment about needing some time, or how she's not getting any younger and she needs something serious, and we'll end it or drift out of touch." He picked up a piece of sliced carrot and popped it into his mouth. "And that'll be that."

Purdey stared at him. She'd never really considered how Gambit's love affairs ended. She always sort of assumed that he left them wanting more. She never expected that he'd let them walk away of their own volition. "I never thought of it quite that way," she murmured.

"I knew what I was getting into," Gambit replied. "And you have to, to have any kind of love life in this business. Why do you think there are so many romances within the department? At the very least you can talk about your assignments in broad strokes. I mean, we always have to worry if they've sold out to the other side, but a file clerk who probably has access to more documents than you do is all signed and cleared, and you can brag about your battle scars without getting a knife in the back or a demotion. But it's really the partners that save you."

Purdey's eyes rose to meet his, bright and intense. "What?"

"Come on, Purdey. Of all the people in the world, who do you talk to when you need a friendly ear? Look where you are now. You came to me for help. If I wasn't around, or you felt like you couldn't say what you wanted to me, you'd go to Steed. And I'd do the same. You, me, and Steed, we're the only three that really have the full story. We know all about the job, most of the highlights of each other's pasts." He grinned evilly. "Face it, Purdey. We're in a threeway marriage without the sex."

Purdey blanched. "I beg your pardon?"

"Mind you, I'm still interested in the sex bit. With you, I mean. Steed's nice and everything, but I don't think we could make a go of it." The evil grin broadened.

"Gambit, I—"

"Oh, come on, don't tell me you've never thought it?" Gambit shook his head. "I had one girlfriend who broke things off because, and I quote, I spent too much time 'hanging about with my work wife,' and she'd never signed up for bigamy."

Purdey burst out laughing in spite of herself. "She didn't!"

"Oh, yes. You've made for many an interesting conversation, I can tell you."

Purdey stifled her giggles with one hand. "Not really?"

Gambit snorted. "How do you think it looks when you leave in the middle of dinner because a woman with a posh accent called you up?"

"Oh dear," Purdey murmured, not sounding in the least bit repentant. "Don't tell me they've all gotten the wrong idea?"

"Sometimes that's exactly what I try to give them," Gambit admitted. "I tell them you're a motorbike riding liberated sort with short hair, and they get _quite_ the wrong idea."

Purdey's mouth dropped open, half in mirth, half in outrage. "You don't!"

"I do. One offered to set you up with her mate, Joan. I was half-inclined to let her."

"I'll bet you were. You would never have lived to see how it turned out."

"That's not the worst of it. One them heard me say 'Purdey' and immediately thought I meant a bloke because I didn't add a 'Miss.' I'm a little ashamed to say I ran with it and saw how long I could keep it going. It took her three weeks to figure out she'd gotten it wrong."

"Mike Gambit, you are an evil man!"

"I know," Gambit said unrepentantly. "But who knows? You and Joan may have gone down a treat."

"I'll give you a reason to go down," Purdey countered, picking a piece of carrot up off the chopping board and hurling it at Gambit's head. Alas, his reflexes were too finely honed, and he ducked down beneath the counter. "There's no use hiding," Purdey yelled after him. "You can't stay down there forever."

"I can. I've got the cooking sherry."

"You'll need it when I'm finished with you." Purdey snagged a tomato and tossed it in the air experimentally. "Come out and die like a man."

"Only if you do first!" came the smart reply.

"That does it." Purdey hiked herself up onto the countertop, swung herself around, and pounced on the unsuspecting man below. Gambit let out a yelp of surprise as the blonde dropped on him from above. She knocked him sideways onto the floor, sending the cooking sherry spraying across the tiles as the bottle rolled off toward the living room. "I hear tomato does wonders for the hair," Purdey's voice sang, before a damp squelch followed by another yelp echoed around the room. "That's for all the lovely advice you've given me about how to hold off jealous suitors. I'm telling Tony that you and Steed are running off to the Bahamas together."

"Well, at least we wouldn't have to keep each other warm," came Gambit's strangled reply. There were the sounds of a brief struggle, and two pairs of feet, both scrambling for purchase, emerged from behind the counter. Eventually, a pair of boots triumphed, the tips of the toes hitting the floor, soles pointing at the wall, while the pair of high heels sprawled untidily below them.

"You're getting better," Gambit panted from his position above Purdey, hands pinning her wrists, legs trying to tame her own. "I told you you'd be brilliant at karate."

"Next lesson, I want you to teach me the counter-move for what you just did," Purdey grunted, struggling against Gambit's grip, but finding herself well and truly stuck. "We were interrupted last time."

"I'm not sure I should. I need to be able to defend myself, too," Gambit said with a wink, but he let Purdey up and sat back on his haunches anyway. She got herself into a kneeling position and regarded him blithely.

"Now really," she murmured, "what should I do about Tony? I like him, I do. It's so nice to have someone normal, from outside the Ministry. But at the same time it makes things hard."

Gambit shrugged. "Relationships are. At least, serious ones are."

"It never was with you," Purdey pointed out. "Or Steed."

Gambit smirked. "And how serious _are_ we?"

"Serious enough," Purdey said with a smile. "We haven't killed each other yet, have we?"

"I'm sure it's only a matter of time," Gambit said wryly. "Look what happened just now."

Purdey rolled her eyes expansively. "Oh, your ego really is terribly fragile, isn't it? Just because I got the drop on you. I suppose you want me to kiss something better now?" She leaned in and felt herself drawn to Gambit's face. He was clearly about to say something smart, but when he saw the expression on her face, he stopped.

"Purdey…?"

She wasn't listening. All she could do was look at him. It was as though she'd noticed for the first time just how attractive he was to her, and how much he could offer. "Kiss me," she whispered.

"What?"

"You heard me." She was leaning in, hands seeking out his shoulders. He was so familiar, so comforting. She didn't have to explain anything to him. Not like Tony. But before she could reach him, his own hands came up and took her wrists, pushing her ever-so-slightly away.

"I may not be a saint," he murmured, his lips brushing her own as he spoke. "But believe it or not, I don't muck about with other blokes' women, and I don't fool around with more than one girl at a time."

Purdey was breathing hard, unsure of exactly what she was doing, but feeling disappointed nonetheless. "So you're not interested?"

Gambit laughed, and his breath was soft against her neck. "I'm very interested, but I know what's going on here. You're upset about Tony, and you want something safe and familiar. Try it when we're both unattached, and you'll get a much different response. But you came to me for advice, and that's all you're going to get." He pushed her gently away, and Purdey felt herself blush with embarrassment.

"Mike…"

"Look, I understand what you're getting at, I really do. You want a little normality, something away from the job. But the whole point of the job is that it's not normal, and we're not normal for wanting to do it. And it's not fair for the normal person in the relationship to have to deal with that."

Purdey felt herself begin to tremble. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you have to choose. If you really love this job, then you have to be willing to give up the idyllic home life, because it's just not going to fit, and if you can't do that, you have to tell Tony, so that neither of you are going in with the wrong expectations. But if…" Gambit paused, and took a deep breath. "If you love him, really love him, then you should say 'hang it all,' and be with him."

Purdey's eyes widened. "What about you and Steed?"

"What about us?" Gambit asked hoarsely, clearly not wanting to dwell on the implications.

Purdey frowned. "Do you _want_ to see me go?"

"Of course I don't, Purdey-girl. But it's not about me. If you stay where you're unhappy, then that's not going to be any good for any of us. What sort of friend would I be if I didn't want you to be happy?" He smiled sadly. "With whoever it is that makes you that way."

"Mike…"

He shook his head. "You have to choose, Purdey. You're never going to be happy if you don't, and neither is Tony. Not if he can't be part of your life. All of it."

Purdey searched his face. "You're serious, aren't you?" she said quietly. "You actually think the job's worth giving up?"

"For the right person, yes," Gambit confirmed. "You can find loads of other jobs. But there are people who are worth giving everything else up for." His eyes held hers meaningfully, and Purdey felt her heart skip a beat. "Do what you have to do, Purdey-girl. Life's too short for you to do any different."

Purdey nodded, slowly. "All right," she murmured. "But answer me one thing."

"Yes?"

"You said people like us can't have a proper home life because the other person can't know what we're up to at work. Well, what if the other person was in the business, too? You wouldn't necessarily have to give up the job, then, would you?"

Gambit worked his jaw carefully. "No," he murmured, not willing to fall for the bait, but unable to totally discourage her, either. "I guess not. But that's another debate for another time. What you have to decide is whether you really want normality, or you just like the idea and want to try it on for a bit. Because one of those isn't fair to Tony. Or you."

"I understand," Purdey said quietly. "Thank you. There's just one more thing."

Gambit nodded. "What's that?"

"This." Purdey gave him an unceremonious shove and moved in quickly for the kill, pinning Gambit to the floor in much the same way he had her only a few moments earlier. "Aha!" she said triumphantly, as Gambit struggled to right himself. "I _do_ know how to get the upper hand after all."

"Right. Distraction. Very good," Gambit muttered from the tile. "You've proved your point. Now let me up."

"Oh, no, there are too many things I'd like to do to you while you're in this position," Purdey said with an evil smile. "Now then, where did that cooking sherry go…?"

When John Steed entered five minutes later, he was surprised to find Purdey and Gambit locked in a clinch which seemed to be centred on a bottle of cooking sherry. Purdey had managed to restrain Gambit with one hand, while the other attempted to pour the contents onto the latter's head, while Gambit had a grip on both wrists and was trying to turn the tide in his favour. His gaze slipped just long enough to notice the pair of Chelsea boots in the doorway.

"Steed!" he exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh, no, I'm not falling for that one," Purdey countered, trying to press home her advantage at his distraction.

"I only came to drop off this report," Steed announced. "I would have phoned ahead if I'd known I was going to be interrupting something."

The bottle slipped from Purdey's grasp and was saved from the floor by Gambit's quick reflexes. "Steed!" she squeaked. "Uh, I was just here to ask Gambit's advice."

"On what? Interrogation techniques?" the senior agent queried.

"Her love life," Gambit muttered, flopping back on the floor exhausted. "And she's ruining mine. I'm trying to cook Penny dinner."

"Tony thinks there's something going on between either you and me, or Gambit and me," Purdey explained, as she climbed off Gambit.

"I can't imagine why," Steed said blithely as he watched the pair disentangle themselves and slowly climb to their feet. He pointed at Gambit's head with his brolly. "What's that in your hair?"

Gambit touched his hair and cringed. "Ugh! Purdey, it's gone down the back of my shirt." His eyes settled on the pot on the stove. "My bisque!" he cried. He hurried over and snatched up a wooden spoon, dipped it into the liquid and tasted, sighed with relief. "I think it's all right. Here, I need a second opinion."

Steed obliged, smacked his lips once in approval. "Gambit, I'm surprised. You have hidden depths. I had an auntie who used to make that exact same recipe, only she'd include a nip of brandy…"

Gambit ignored Steed's familial musings. He turned to Purdey. "Well, come on, come on. Steed's still alive, so it must be safe."

Purdey sighed and gave the spoon a tentative lick. A look of pleasant surprise crossed her face. "Hey, that's not bad," she complimented. "Maybe she won't leave you after all."

"Ha ha."

"But you know, there is one thing that would make it better."

"I'm not adding marshmallows," Gambit cut off knowingly.

"Well, they would sweeten it," Purdey muttered.

"Look, don't you have to go talk to Tony?" Gambit reminded, taking her by the shoulder and starting to steer both her and Steed toward the door. "Because I have a dinner to get ready. And a tomato to wash out of my hair."

Purdey snorted with laughter. "Red really is your colour, Mike."

"Next time you want advice, go to Steed," Gambit grumbled, looking to the senior agent. "She can squeeze orange juice into your bowler."

"How delightful," Steed quipped, returning the hat to his head with unseemly speed. "Sorry to impose, Mike."

"Not a problem. Happy to see you both. Now bugger off." Gambit opened the door and unceremoniously booted them onto the step. "Oh, and don't forget what I said, eh?" he added to Purdey, before slamming the door behind him. Steed looked at Purdey, who had suddenly gone very sober in thought.

"Do you need another friendly ear?" he asked the girl.

Purdey looked up, shook her head slowly. "No, Steed, thank you. I think I know what I have to do, sadly." She cast a backward glance at Gambit's door. "I got some good advice from the trenches."


	8. Fond Farewell

Odd Man Out

by J. Ferguson a.k.a. Timeless A-Peel

Disclaimer: I don't own _The New Avengers,_ nor the characters of Mike Gambit, Purdey, and John Steed. Sadly. They're the property of The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Tony Ashcroft is mine, but I'm not guarding him terribly jealously.

Timeline: AU. Anytime post-_Dead Men Are Dangerous._ Could be during season 2 or post-series. There isn't much of a need to be more specific. It's AU, and thus doesn't fit into the arc, so I'm not too hung up about it.

Author's Note: Final chapter here. I'm sure you'll have guessed where things are going regardless, but here it is. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed. Hope you like the wrap-up.

* * *

Purdey wasn't terribly surprised when she opened her flat door and found Tony sitting on her couch. He turned to look at her, smiled wanly. Purdey took a deep breath to brace herself. She knew she was going to do the right thing, but that didn't make it any easier. She closed the door behind her and cast her purse onto the kitchen table.

"Hi," Tony greeted quietly.

"Hi," Purdey replied, crossing the floor slowly to join him on the couch. She plopped down with a sigh, reached out to rest a hand on his knee. "I'm sorry I stormed out earlier."

Tony shook his head. "Don't be. It gave me some time to think."

"Me too," Purdey confided, biting her lip. "Look, Tony, there's something I have to say to you."

Tony smirked ruefully. "Not if I say it first," he murmured, and saw surprise flicker across Purdey's lovely face. "Don't look so surprised, darling. I think we both know it's not working. I may not be a detective, but give me a little credit."

Purdey tortured her bottom lip further, blue eyes locked on his. "Tony, I'm so sorry," she breathed.

Tony shook his head again. "No, don't be. It's not your fault."

"But I feel terrible! I went for you for all the wrong reasons, because I was looking for something different…"

"You found it," Tony said with a laugh. "But that's the problem, isn't it? I'm too different. I can't understand…anything, can I? Not about you, not about your job. What you do, why you love it. It's a totally different world, and I don't belong in it anymore than you belong in mine." He smiled sadly. "But _they_ do…"

Purdey looked away, stood, stepped away a pace. "Tony, this isn't about them."

He stood and came up behind her. "It is. Even if you don't mean it to be." He laughed a little. "You're already being split two ways, Purdey. There isn't room for thirds."

She wheeled round then, eyes flashing. "I don't—" she began, but he put a finger to his lips to silence her.

"I'm not accusing you of anything," he said quietly. "But I know you love them. Both of them. Maybe not in the same way, or in any way I can understand, but I know you do. You'd die for them out of love. You'd die for me out of duty." He shrugged. "I wish it were different, but I can't control these things anymore than you."

Purdey's eyes were filling with tears. "But I…when I was with you—"

"I know. And I enjoyed it," Tony assured her. "And I hope you did, too. I'll never forget our time together, and I don't regret a second of it. But I've watched you play balancing act for too long now, and it's tearing you apart."

Purdey couldn't hold back any longer. The tears flowed freely. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. "Thank you," she sobbed. "Thank you for understanding."

"My little parting gift to you," Tony replied, now trying to keep his own tears from falling. He pulled back and held her at arm's length. "You're a wonderful woman, Purdey. I hope you're happy, wherever you end up."

"And I hope you find someone who appreciates you," Purdey said in kind. "Because you deserve it. So much."

"Then we're parting on the best of terms."

"Friends."

"Good friends." Tony leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. Then he released her, started to back away. "I think it's better if we don't draw it out, if I just go."

Purdey nodded, not moving to walk him to the door. She couldn't take it. "Good luck, Tony Ashcroft."

"And to you, Purdey Bryde." And with that, he was gone. Purdey closed her eyes and let all the tears out.

***

An hour later, Purdey knocked on Gambit's door, and was surprised when she was invited to enter. She opened the door of the flat and was surprised at the scene that met her. Steed was perched on one of Gambit's bar stools, while the man himself was leaning on the bar itself from the other side. Between them was a large serving pot, and they were both tucking in with enthusiasm. They turned to regard Purdey with mild interest, forks hovering in mid-air. Purdey arched an amused eyebrow.

"Am I interrupting?" she queried, tossing her purse onto the couch.

"Don't I wish," Gambit replied wryly as Purdey crossed the room to join them.

"I thought you had a hot date? With Penny?" Purdey queried, leaning over to peer into the pot. It was spaghetti Bolognese, and to Purdey's surprise, it smelled rather good.

"I did," Gambit confirmed. "For about forty-five minutes. Then her school called her back. Some sort of emergency." He pointed his fork at her for emphasis. "But she did say my cooking was brilliant."

"You're certain she didn't run off to find something for her food poisoning?" Purdey quipped, and Gambit scowled at her.

"If she did, then I'll not be far behind," Steed pointed out, sipping a snifter of brandy that Gambit must have dug out of stores. "I dropped by not fifteen minutes ago, only to remind Gambit about one pertinent detail of the report, and I ran, quite literally, into Miss Redfern on her way out." He indicated the pot. "Gambit was kind enough to offer me sustenance."

"Well, it was going to go to waste," Gambit said with a sigh, twirling the pasta around his fork dejectedly. "Someone may as well enjoy it."

"It's quite good," Steed assured Purdey. "You missed the last of the bisque, I'm afraid, but we still haven't polished off the last of the garlic bread…"

Purdey laughed in spite of herself. "Honestly, the pair of you. You're turning into a couple of old maids."

"You're one to talk," Gambit grumbled, then softened when he saw Purdey's downcast expression. "Did you see Tony?"

Purdey sighed, and let her arms rest against the bar. "Yes," she confirmed. "I talked to him. He'd come to the same conclusion as you, unsurprisingly. You were right. I was with him for the wrong reasons, because he was as far removed from the Ministry as possible." She rested her head in the palm of her hand. "We ended things."

Gambit's eyes dropped into the pot, and he stirred dejectedly. "Purdey-girl, I'm so sorry. Really I am."

"As am I," Steed put in, resting a fatherly hand on Purdey's shoulder. "He seemed like a nice chap."

"He was," Purdey agreed. "But sometimes that's not enough. You need that little extra spark." She looked from one to the other pointedly. "Do you know what I mean?"

"I think it's safe to say we're thinking along roughly the same lines," Steed said with a smile.

Gambit straightened up and went around the bar, took her by the elbow, and steered her to the stool beside Steed. "What you need," he declared, as she hiked herself into her seat, "is a fork."

Purdey grinned as he set off to fetch her one. He returned with a fork, and a glass as well, handed the implement off to her, and then proceeded to pour her a measure of brandy, slid it across the counter in his best imitation of a wild west barman. Purdey took it gratefully, inhaled, then sipped, before taking her fork and delving into the pot along with Steed. Both men watched as she twirled the pasta around her fork, then slowly moved it toward her mouth. She paused, met their eyes, then popped the fork into her mouth, pulled it out again, and chewed thoughtfully. Gambit watched her closely, waiting for her reaction. To his delight, she smiled.

"Mmm," she complimented around a mouthful, then swallowed. "Mike Gambit, you surprise me. This is delicious. Between this and the bisque, I'm impressed."

"I may ask you to put that in writing," Gambit quipped, waggling his eyebrows at her in the way that never failed to make her laugh. "And for dessert…" He reached beneath the bar and extracted a packet of marshmallows, set them on the surface. "From stores," he explained. Purdey felt her eyes unaccountably well up with tears. Steed frowned and reached in his pocket for a handkerchief, handed it off to her.

"Now, now, there's no call for that," he soothed, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I know," Purdey sniffled. "I'm sorry. This is all wrong. I shouldn't be like this, but…" She paused to blow, then looked from one to the other. "Thank you. For being here."

"Nowhere we'd rather be, I'm sure," Steed told her, and Purdey sniffled gratefully. She picked up her discarded fork and went back to the spaghetti.

"This really is quite delicious," she told Gambit. "If you're as good in bed as you are behind the stove, maybe I ought to revaluate our relationship."

Gambit perked up noticeably. "Push off, Steed. Things just got interesting."

Steed laughed. Purdey laughed. Gambit laughed. The flat rang with it. Purdey suddenly knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she was where she belonged.

***

Two months later, Tony Ashcroft looked up from his copy of the _Times_ and caught sight of a familiar figure topped by a crown of blonde hair. "Purdey!" he called out cheerfully, and hurried over when she turned.

"Tony!" she greeted, receiving him graciously with a peck on the cheek. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Yes," Tony agreed, realising belatedly that he was in the vicinity of the Ministry building. "Fancy that." He looked over her shoulder and saw the two familiar silhouettes of Gambit and Steed, hanging back a few feet from where they stood. He nodded at them. "Hello, chaps."

"Hello, Ashcroft," Steed returned, taking the unspoken invitation and joining them. Gambit offered the man his hand, and Tony shook it without qualms.

"Good to see you, Tony," he told the other man. "Keeping fit."

"So are you," Tony replied, returning the compliment. He returned his attention to Purdey. "As do you, Purdey. You're looking positively radiant. These two taking good care of you, I hope?"

"I make sure they do," Purdey quipped, and Gambit snorted.

"She means we keep her fed. I don't know how she'd afford it otherwise," he said to Tony, and earned an elbow in the ribs for his trouble.

"Speaking of food, we're just on our way to lunch," Steed cut in. "If you'd like to join us, you're more than welcome…"

Tony shook his head and smiled. "Thank you for the offer, but I really must be going. I have an appointment at one."

"Oh, well," Purdey said with a smile. "More for me."

"And I wouldn't dream of depriving you," Tony said with a laugh. "And now I really must dash. Wonderful to see you all again."

"And you," Steed replied, as the others chimed in with similar remarks. Hands were shaken, good-byes said, and then Tony was off in one direction, and the three departed in the other. Tony allowed himself a brief glance over his shoulder, and marvelled at the three of them, moving smoothly in flawless synchronisation, chatting animatedly among themselves. Purdey was in the middle, as always, and as he watched, she looped her arms companionably through those of each of the two men as they walked, and the three of them, a united front, walked off into the proverbial sunset. Tony turned away. He was surprised at how good he felt about it. Purdey was where she was meant to be, with the people she was meant to be with. All was right in the world.

He quickened his pace. He didn't want to be late.

End


End file.
